Hijab crisis: UI International School shut indefinitely

THE Board of Governors of the International School University of Ibadan on Monday closed down the school indefinitely following renewed disturbance over introduction of Hijab by some Muslim parents in the school and which has rocked the 55 years old private school in the last one week.

The closure, according to the Board of Governor, was sequel to the religious crisis being foisted over move by a group of parents under the banner of Muslim Parents Forum who are advocating wearing of Hijab.

When the crisis started last week, both the Parents Teachers Association and the Board of Governors reaffirmed the present dress code as stipulated in the rules and regulation of the school.

The Board chaired by Professor Abideen Aderinto had empowered the school to enforce the dress code of the school while appealing to advocates of Hijab to abide by the extant rules.

However, the peaceful resumption of school was disrupted again on Monday morning when some parents brought their Hijab wearing girls to school and were shut out of the school.

Apparently anticipating such reaction, the group mobilised and carried placard singing songs that Hijab is a right and must not be denied willing Muslim girls.

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AS the protest escalates, security was mobilised while the school was put under lock and key while parents rushed to pick their wards.

Speaking on the closure of the school, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the UI and Chairman Board of Governors, Professor Adeyinka Abideen Aderinto in a statement apologised for the failure of the school to hold academic classes on Monday. He stated that the decision was to stop the further breakdown of law and other.

According to the statement: “I am reaching you through this medium to apologise for failing to hold classes today, and for closing the school to academic activities. This was a very difficult decision for me to take on behalf of the Board of Governors, but one which I had to take to prevent further breakdown of law and order.

“You will all recall that we have been battling with a Religious crisis since Monday, November 12, 2018, following a letter we received from a body of Muslim Parents notifying us of the commencement of the use of hijab by female Muslim students. You were also aware of the resolutions of the Parents/Teachers Association’s meeting on Tuesday, November 13, 2018, and the decisions of the Board of Governors after a meeting that held on Wednesday, November 14, 2019.

“In the last one week, and particularly over the last weekend, there were many meetings held with the group by concerned individuals and notable Islamic leaders on the need for the group to drop their violent approach, and allow the school activities to proceed without further disruption while lasting solution would continue to be sought by all stakeholders in the ISI project. Unfortunately, the group refused to yield to this call by eminent citizens, and continued their agitation, and preventing the school from opening for normal academic activities. It is most unfortunate that our Dear children have to be made to go through this experience, but I assure you that the school will come out stronger at the end of it all.

“On the part of the Board of Governors, we are making all efforts to ensure that our children are not kept out of school for long, bearing in mind that our Advance level, SS3 and JSS 3 students will be writing their WAEC examinations early next year. I, therefore appeal to all of you to remain calm while concerted efforts are being made to ensure that we reopen the school very soon.”

Meanwhile, the Muslim Community of Oyo State has declared that the claim by the management of University of Ibadan International School, that the school is a private one is baseless and has no basis.

The General- Secretary of Muslim community of Oyo State, Sheik Ismail Busari while speaking argued that the claim by the management of the school is baseless which does not have a basis.

Busari while addressing journalists at the front of the gate of the school on Monday maintained that “When has ISI become a private establishment when the UI DVC academic is the Chairman of the board.”

“And section 32 subsection 2 of the 1999 constitution as amended guaranteed the right of Muslim ladies to adorns Hijab. We are operating common law but as you can see the common law is not common in Nigeria. Even in Europe, Muslims and Christians learn side by side. It is allowed in Europe even not only for students but for military men and uniform men. Hijab is decency, it is protection, their appearance distracts nobody.”