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Hijab: Kwara govt deploys task force to enforce directives on reopening of schools
By Modupe Shodeinde
The Kwara state government has deployed a task force to ensure compliance with the directive for all schools in the state to reopen and resume academic activities despite the dispute over wearing of hijab in christain mission schools in the state.
The state govt had earlier ordered the reopening of schools on Wednesday even as christian missions negated the use of of hijab by Muslim female students in their schools.
It was gathered that teachers and students who had arrived at the school on Friday were denied entry as some churches insisted that they would not allow students or teachers resume unless the state government rescinded its decision on wearing of hijab in Christian mission schools.
However, the Press Secretary in the state Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, Yakub Ali-Agan, in a statement on Friday, said all the 10 schools involved in the hijab controversy had been fully opened, hours after the state government directed all the principals and teachers in the affected schools to resume for academic activities.
The statement read, “The schools were opened by a government task force which moved round the metropolis to ensure that the directive is followed and that teachers and students are protected and allowed to begin academic activities.
“At Cherubim and Seraphim College, Sabo Oke, Ilorin, some church leaders locked and barricaded the entrance to the college until government officials escorted by security officials opened the school gate. At Baptist LGEA primary and secondary schools, Surulere, Ilorin, everything went on peacefully with teachers and students seen in their classrooms.
“The government task force, led by officials from the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development and the Teaching Service Commission, reassured members of the public, especially parents and teachers, that the unfortunate incident of Wednesday had been put behind the state and that the schools are safe for schoolchildren to resume learning in earnest.”
He stated that the task force said the government would continue to engage all stakeholders to remain law-abiding and peaceful.
