Hijab crisis: Kwara reopens Baptist school after 4-month closure

The Kwara state government has approved the reopening of Oyun Baptist High School, Ijagbo, for students to resume academic activities.

The approval was given on Wednesday — after 119 days of closure over the crisis triggered by the wearing of the hijab.

The school was shut down on February 3, over a dispute between the Christian and Muslim parents on the use of hijab on the school premises.

The disagreement quickly escalated to violence. A number of persons were also said to have sustained various degrees of injuries during a protest at that time.

But in a statement, Mary Adeosun, the permanent secretary in the state ministry of education, said the school would reopen on June 3.

In the statement, Adeosun added that the government’s decision to reopen the school is to restore normalcy in the institution.

“The Ministry’s decision to reopen the school is one of the government’s multi-prong approaches to return normalcy to the school,” the statement read.

“Consequently, all teachers and students are directed to return to their classrooms while the government white paper committee continues the efforts to address pending issues related to the recent disturbance in the public school.

“Similarly, the Ministry restates the government’s position that any Muslim schoolgirl who desires to wear the Hijab is allowed to do so in all public schools, including in Oyun Baptist High School Ijagbo, which is owned by the State Government and run with public resources.”