Reports reaching DAILY POST from Ogbomoso town in Oyo State has it that no fewer than fifty-five (55) female Muslim students of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) International School Ogbomoso, have been barred from entering the school premises over the use of Hijab.
A senior lecturer in the school who begged not to be named told DAILY POST that the 55 students were turned down by the institution’s authority for wearing Hijab on top of their uniforms Monday morning.
He said, “Hijab Imbroglio: Welcome to LAUTECH Secondary School, Ogbomoso, Oyo state. The story was dated back to 2011 when the first request was made to the Governing Board of the School to allow our willing Muslim females Children to use Hijab as part of their school uniform in line with Islamic dictate.
“Since 2011 barely eight years ago, several letters of appeal had been written to the GC while we wait endlessly without any concrete positive response to our simple request.
“Our Muslim girls over the period have been using Beret instead of Hijab in their own case contrary to the Islamic dictate.
“While our patience overtime as law-abiding citizens was premised on our belief that the Management of the School will do the needful and give regard to the rule of law & provision of the Constitution guaranteeing fundamental human right of everybody.
“Having waited endlessly since 2011, it was decided on the 4th of January, 2019 that our willing Muslim female children should commence the use of Hijab as School resumes on 7/1/2019.”
When asked by DAILY POST to give an update on what was going on in the school, the senior lecturer said, “The Children are in the school presently, teachers are threatening. They are removing Hijab from them. The girls disagreed. They disallowed them to enter. It’s noise presently. The school is still on. Our Muslim children that used Hijab are still outside the school”.
However, Principal of the school, Mr. Ibrahim Animashaun while reacting urged the parents and the students to await the decision of the school board of governors before further action.
Animashaun who initially declined to comment until he had been asked to do so by the Chairman of the school board of governors, Professor K. Adebiyi informed DAILY POST that the status quo remains until the board comes out with its decision whether to allow or to ban the use of Hijab in the school.
He told DAILY POST in a telephone conversation that, “I don’t know because I have to discuss with the Chairman of the board first.
“The school board of governors is yet to approve the use of Hijab. And the board is looking at their letter. So we are yet to communicate them. Until we communicate with them, the status quo remains.
“We spoke with the aggrieved parents that their letter is still with the board. LAUTECH International School board of governors is looking at their letter.”
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