After a week of closure as a result of the hijab controversy, the University of Ibadan International School, will resume academic activities tomorrow, Monday.
The management shut the school last Monday following the demonstrations by some parents calling on tne school authority to allow Muslim Female students wear hijab in the school.
The chairman of the school’s board and deputy vice-chancellor (Academic) University of Ibadan, Professor Yinka Aderinto, made the disclosure on Sunday.
Professor Aderinto said the status quo regarding dress code for the pupils would be maintained even though the Muslim parents want their kids to wear hijab to school.
The International School had barred hijab-wearing students from entering the school the development which attracted protest from their parents, thereby leading to the demonstration.
Many Islamic groups and the umbrella body for the Nigerian Muslims, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs had had condemned the opposition of ISI management to the wearing of hijab by female pupils of the school.
Professor Aderinto said “Those seeking the change in the dress code of the school rule must go through due process.”
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| Professor Aderinto |
The ISI Chairman Court of Governors added, that the ultimate decision still lies with the Board of Governors of the school.
Parents had earlier today (Sunday) received a text message from the school management informing them of the reopening of the school on Monday.
The message reads, “This is to inform all students, staff and parents that ISI, UI will reopen on Monday, 26/11/2018 to continue the first term (2018/2019) session,” reads the message.
Before now, series of meetings had been convened among the Muslim Parents Forum (the Forum that kick-started the demand for wearing of hijab), the university’s Muslim community, representatives of the Board of Governors and the university management.
Meanwjilem the Muslim Parents’ Forum of ISI has acceded to the request by the Imam, University of Ibadan that the issue of hijab in ISI should be left for the UI Muslim Community to handle.
A Mslim parent who confided in this reporter said, “A meeting was held at the instance of Oyo State Muslim Community and it was agreed that the issue be handled by the UI Muslim Community. We have agreed to see what they can do.
“But the issue of hijab is non-negotiable. If they don’t use it now, they will certainly use it even if it takes seven years”
The Muslim female students of ISI will go back to their school on Monday but without wearing their hijab until the case is settled.
