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• Lagos parents, AFED call for caution, as NAPPS keeps mute
By Gabriel Dike and Bianca Iboma
Beginning from the 2022/2023 academic session Muslim students would wear hijab to school in Lagos State. This is in compliance with a Supreme Court ruling.
On November 30, 2022, Head of Service (HoS), Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola, directed schools to allow implement the court order: “You are to note that the judgment is binding on all schools in the state. Comprehensive guidelines on this will be issued in due course.”
However, parents, stakeholders and the Association for Formidable Educational Development (AFED), called for caution to avert major religious crisis.
But the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), which has the largest number of schools in the state kept mute when The Education Report sought its reaction. Worried parents expressed concern about the implement of the ruling without consulting stakeholders.
Sir Timothy Adebayo, a parent wondered: “What happens if Christian pupils decide to wear robes and choir gowns to schools or the traditional worshippers? The schools will be in a chaotic situation and may lead to disruption of academic activities in such schools.” He appealed to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to suspend the implementation and engage stakeholders on the best way to introduce hijab in schools.
Superior Senior Leader, Celestial Church of Christ, Akoka, Lagos, Rebecca Olaiya, said: “The implementation is ill-timed. At the period of election and the division it will bring to education system.
“Christians will view the move as an attempt to introduce Sharia through back door. Politicians and religious leaders should avert a major gathering storm in the education sector. How do you enforce this in private schools?
Executive Director, Campaign for Safety in Schools (CSS), Mr Maxwell Irabor, said: “I don’t expect Christian schools and private ones to open their doors to pupils wearing hijab to classes. I expect government to handle this issue carefully. Government should not allow religion to destroy our educational foundation. This where we are heading with the hijab issue.”
National president, NAPPS, Chief Yomi Otubela, did not respond to questions from our correspondent, when contacted. When a reminder was sent to him, he responded: “We will react soon.”
President of AFED, Mr Emmanuel Oji, said: “I am worried that our Supreme Court can take this kind of decision. The purposes for which school uniforms are meant to serve have been defeated.
“With this decision, what becomes of schools where Muslims, Celestial, C&S Spiritual Movement and others including the traditional worshippers come with their different regalia?
“If it is possible for the Supreme Court to reverse itself, please let it be done to ensure that the enforcement of people’s rights or human rights doesn’t warrant or give room for anarchy.
“Schools are almost like the military when it comes to discipline. Anything that will warrant the erosion of this high sense uniformity should be avoided.
“With the judgment, even schools established by Christian organisations should be ready to receive their students in different regalia as the apex court has ordered.
“I will only appeal that government threads with caution so as to avert possible crises that may arise as a result of the enforcement of this judgment. I want to advise school owners to ensure that they are not caught on the web of religious differences.
“We must first understand that we are in business and secondly must be law-abiding. We will continue to engage the state government to understand the danger of allowing any form of religious colouration into the already crises-ridden education system.
“Enforcement of this in many schools will meet a strong opposition. Government cannot be in a hurry to do that. Lagos is a very sensitive state and the leadership here is very responsive.
“If we get a notification from the state government, we will engage the government. But I am sure that the state government will not contemplate the enforcement in private and Christian mission schools. This will amount to inciting violence and our responsive government in Lagos will not want this.”
Investigations revealed that after the judgment, the number of students wearing hijab increased in public schools but not spotted in private schools.
It was also gathered that Sanwo-Olu might have subtly postponed the enforcement of the ruling until after the gubernatorial election. Since court ruling in November 2022, the state government has not come out with its “comprehensive guidelines” it promised.
