Kwara extends closure of mission schools over hijab crisis

The Kwara State Government has announced the extension of the closure of the 10 mission secondary schools in Ilorin, the state capital.

A statement on Monday signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, said the schools should remain closed for security reasons.

Recall that the government shut the 10 schools belonging to some Christian missions on February 19, 2021, following a crisis on the wearing of Hijab by Muslim female students attending the schools.

The government had earlier said it approved the wearing of Hijab in all government public schools and directed that the schools be reopened on Monday, March 8, 2021.

Our correspondent observed that some students of the affected schools had reported in school only to meet the doors locked.

It was gathered that some persons set a bonfire in front of the First Baptist Secondary School, Surulere, Ilorin, around 7 am on Monday.

The fire was put out by a combined team of security men, comprising soldiers, police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, who moved around the town around 8.30 am.

Following the state government’s approval of wearing of Hijab in public schools, some missions, including the Nigeria Baptist Conference, Evangelical Winning All church and the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church said they would not allow the wearing of Hijab in their schools.

The state branch of the Christian Association of Nigeria said it would not agree to the use of Hijab in schools established by Christian missions, expressing surprise that the government was attempting to make a decision on a matter before the Supreme Court.

CAN said, “The body condemns the use of Hijab in Christian Missions Grant Aided Schools as this will cause discrimination in schools and allow the terrorist to easily identify our children and wards.”