The management of the International School University of Ibadan (ISI) on Monday locked the classrooms against the students over the use of hijab (female Muslim head cover) by some of the muslim students who wished to use the Muslim head cover.
As early as 7:30am on Monday, the students arrived in the school premises with some of them having their small hijabs on their heads.
The Muslim Parents of the school had last week notified the school management of the readiness of their children to wear small hijab that would be complimentary to their school uniform.
In a letter of notification by the Chairman of the Muslim Parents Forum of the School, Alhajj Abdurrahman Balogun (Chairman) and Mrs Bilikisu Badru (Secretary) sent to the Principal of the School, Mrs Phabian Olowe and the copy of which was sent to the Principal Officers of the University including the Chancellor, Emir of Kano, Alhajji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the forum hinted the school that their children would commence the use of the Hijaab starting from Monday, November 16, 2018.
The parents who came along with their female children adorned in small hijabs dropped their children and waited at the school’s car park with a view to getting the reaction of the school management.
In its reaction, the school management, which had earlier cancelled the morning devotion (daily assembly) later dispersed the students to their various classes.
But no sooner the students were heading to their various classes than the classrooms were locked.
This reporter overheard one of the teachers who signalled the students not to enter the class and announced afterwards that there would not be classes.
The teachers were seen standing in small groups discuss the issue while the students were left to roam the school compounds.
Some of the roaming students were asked by this reporter the reason they were not in class but they said their teachers asked them to stay away from the classes as there would not be classes today.
Some of the students of Hijaab wearing students of ISI who spoke with Osun Daily said they wore the hijab out of their love for it.
However, the Principal of the School, Mrs Olowe, in a telephone interview with Daily Post Correspondent, insulted the reporter and called his earlier repport on the incident as “rubbish”
Thinking of possible face-off between the parents and the teachers, a team from the University of Ibadan security outfit visited the school but it was a calm atmosphere.
Speaking to journalists on behalf of the concerned parents, Alhajj Abdurrahman Balogun expressed surprise that the school was shut just because students wore small hijab, the action which was not contrary to section 7 (1-8) of the school rules and regulations which has to do with the dress code.
“I am a parent of students in ISI. I am here to drop my children. We gave the school notification that in line with the constitution, in all ramifications, be it the school rules and regulations, norms and constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that our daughters be made to wear hijab.
“But I am surprised and shocked that classes were shut and assembly was also cancelled because the students wore hijab today. I don’t know the correlation between the two. Students wear hijab and the classes were shut. We will not accept anything until our daughters are allowed to wear their hijab. I want my daughters to be wearing hijab and because there is nothing that says they should not wear it even in the Rules and Regulations of ISI.”
Reacting to the matter, the Director of Public Communication, University of Ibadan, Mr Oladejo said he had no information about the happenings in the school as he was preoccupied with the ongoing convocation activities.
