Hijab crisis: 151 Kwara students may miss WASSCE, says principal

Francis Lambe, principal of Ijagbo Baptist High School in Oyun LGA, Kwara state, has lamented the continued closure of the school over the crisis trailing use of hijab.

The use of hijab has been generating controversy in public schools in the state, especially in grant-aided missionary schools.

In February, the state government had ordered the closure of the school after violence broke out among Christians and Muslims amid the hijab crisis.

The state government later constituted a seven-member panel to investigate the matter.

Addressing the panel at its inaugural sitting on Monday, Lambe said the continued closure of the school could affect final year students who are expected to take the 2022 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

The principal also disclosed that 151 students of the school may miss the exam — scheduled for June — if the hijab crisis is not resolved early enough.

He called for immediate resolution of the hijab controversy to allow the students to return to school and prepare for the exam.

“What I will recommend to the government is to invite the CAN and the concerned Muslim stakeholders and let them understand that policy is policy and pacify the two sides. Now, our school is closed. We have our SS3 students about 151 students ready to write WAEC,” he said.

In his remark, Shehu Omoniyi, chairman of the panel, called for the support of those invited by the committee.

“This panel is not meant to witch-hunt anybody. We are to assess critically what happened, how it happened those that were involved and make specific recommendations,” he said.

“I urge people to calm down and cooperate with us. If you are invited, speak the truth and nothing but the truth. There’s no need to mislead the panel. Because we want to work with the fear of God and I hope at the end of the day all sides will be happy with our recommendations.”