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The Hijab crisis rocking the International School, Ibadan, has replicated itself in LAUTECH International School, Ogbomoso, where 55 female students who wore hijab to school on Monday were barred from entering the school premises.
Hijab is presently not part of the school’s dress code but a Muslim senior lecturer in LAUTECH, who pleaded anonymity, said the Muslim parents decided that as from 2019, their female children must wear hijab since it appears the school’s governing council has refused to grant a request that had been made since 2011.
He sad they had waited for eight years without any word from the school authorities.
He said: “Our Muslim girls over the period have been using Beret instead of Hijab in their own case contrary to the Islamic dictate.
“While our patience overtime as law abiding citizens was premised on our belief that the Management of the School will do the needful and give regard to the rule of law and provision of the constitution guaranteeing fundamental human rights of everybody.
“Having waited endlessly since 2011, it was decided on the 4th of January, 2019 that our willing Muslim female children should commence the use of Hijab as school resumes on January 7, 2019”.
According to him, teachers forcefully removed hijab from the children and barred those who refused to abide from entering the school.
When the school principal, Ibrahim Animashaun was contacted, he explained that “the school board of governors is yet to approve the use of Hijab. And the board is looking at their letter.
“So we are yet to communicate them. Until we communicate with them. The status quo remains until the board approves their request.
“We spoke with the aggrieved parents that their letter is still with the board.
“LAUTECH International School board of governors is looking at their letter”.
The case is similar to that playing out in University of Ibadan owned International School. Muslim parents in ISI have since taken the matter to court.