Six months after the Supreme Court ruling in favour of the use of hijab(head covering veil with their school uniforms) by female Muslim students in schools in Lagos State, the state government has publicly declared to start enforcing the judgment in all schools in the state.
The Head of Service, Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola, gave this explanation in a circular issued on Monday, December 5, to all the state political appointees, government’s ministries, agencies and departments including the ministry of education and the Teaching Service Commission, directing them to start compliance with the ruling.
Muri-Okunola, in the circular, Ref No CIR\HOS\’22\20\1\068, said “It’s hereby notified for general information that the Supreme Court Judgment, SC\ 910\2014 delivered on 17th of June 2022 of the use of hijab as affect pupils\students in Lagos state schools has declared that students should be allowed to wear hijab if desired.
“So, a comprehensive guideline on the use of hijab in schools will be issued by the state government in due course, but, you are to note that the judgment is binding on all schools in the state.
“As a law-abiding administration, all accounting officers are to note the contents of the circular for immediate compliance and give it the deserved service-wide- publicity.”
Nigerian Tribune recalls that it is one of the parents of a female Muslim student who was sent away from school because of the use of hijab in school that challenged the action in court.
A Lagos High Court in 2014 ruled against the wearing of hijab in schools, but the decision was overturned by an appellate court in July 2016 and the apex court of the land affirmed the appellate court judgment on June 17, this year.
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