THE West African Examinations Council (WAEC) does not forbid use of hijab by female students either for biometric capture or for its examinations.
The Deputy Director, Programming, WAEC, Mr AbdulMujeeb Olorunnisola, made this disclosure in Lagos at a seminar organised by an advocacy group, the Coalition for Hijab.
Olorunnisola attributed the controversies on the use of hijab by Muslim female students to ignorance on the part of third parties entrusted with registration of students for examinations.
According to him, what is required for WAEC biometric capture are distinctive features such as the face, fingerprints, colour of eyes and clear identification of gender and date of birth, none of which is inhibited by use of hijab.
He said the examination body has always organised briefing before each of its examination to sensitise stakeholders.
He said cases of infringement should be reported to WAEC offices in the states.
A legal practitioner, Mr Abduljeleel Olayinka, in a lecture, affirmed that the constitution and the Supreme Court judgment have guaranteed the use of hijab by Muslim female students and urged parents and guardians to support their children in this regard.
He advised students to ensure that they are among the best in terms of academic performance and morals so that they are not subjected to victimisation.
In another lecture, the Executive Secretary of Hijab Advocacy, Hajiya Shereefat Enessi, said there was no more question about the legality of the use of hijab following the Supreme Court judgment.
“You are not to take part in religion other than yours or those of your guardian. It is expressly forbidden for any teacher to force you to take part in their religious practices.
“We are Muslims. They should not force you to clap or sing on the assembly. We don’t force anyone to practise our religion. So, they shouldn’t force us to practise their religion either. You don’t drop your religion at home just because you want to acquire education,” she said.
She urged Muslim female students to be firm and confident in affirming their religious rights.
The Coalition for Hijab is made up of Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Al-Mu’minaat, Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN), Hijab Rights Advocacy Initiative, Muslim Teachers Association of Nigeria (MUTAN), Habu Da Wtil Islamiyyah , Markaz Dawah Islamiyyah and The Criterion.
and then