UI school speaks on hijab controversy

The Board of Governors of International School, Ibadan, on Thursday morning, issued a press release on the ongoing crisis over about the use of hijab in the school following an emergency meeting of the board the previous day.

In a document signed by the board, the following resolutions were made:

• The status quo as regards students’ dress code as contained in the school rules and regulations should be maintained.
• Adequate measures should be put in place to forestall breakdown of law and order in the school.
• Any parent who is unwilling to abide by the school rules and regulations is free to withdraw his or her ward(s).
• The Management was empowered to enforce the rule on uniform and appearance as contained in the extant rule.

Meanwhile, the Board also appeals for peace from the parents so the school could perform its primary function of providing education to the students.

It would be recalled that the crisis started on Monday when some students of the school were seen wearing hijab on their school uniform and were prevented by the school management.

Since the first set of students were prevented on Monday, no student with hijab has been allowed to enter the school, leading to displeasure of their aggrieved parents who felt the right of their wards to practice their religion was trampled upon by the school authority by not allowing the students to enter the school thereby missing classes and might affect their sessional exams that is due to start on the 26th of November, 2018.

Even though the students with hijab had disappeared from the gate amidst jubilations by Christian parents, the crisis could not be said to be over even with the press release from the board of governors as some of the Muslim parents were seen threatening lawsuits against the management of the school.