The Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye says the Lagos State Government has prohibited Muslim students in the Lagos public schools from wearing hijab in Lagos public school.
She stated this at a press briefing in Ikeja on Tuesday (13/5/2013).
At the media parley, Mrs Oladunjoye said allowing the use of the traditional Islamic head scarf in Lagos public schools could lead to breakdown of law and order.
The Commissioner stated that Muslim students are allowed to wear the Hijab to the Friday Jumat prayer, or anytime they want to say their prayers during school hours and whenever they want to read the Quran.
However, adorning the hijab as an accessory outside the stated purposes or as an everyday affair she vehemently insisted is against government policy.
She said, “I summoned a stakeholder’s meeting that was chaired by the Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture, Alhaji Oyinlomo Danmole. The Muslim students were represented at the meeting, Lawyers were represented. We discussed the issue at length and we reached certain agreement.
“We agreed that students could only use their Hijab when they want to go for prayers, when they want to read Qur’an, and when they are going for Jumat prayer on Fridays.
“It was agreed that no student should wear Hijab on her uniform. Doing so will cause confusion and break down of the law.
“Whoever wish that his daughter should be wearing Hijab while going to school and within the school should send such child to a private Muslim school,”
The use of the hijab remains a contentious issue in a secular country such as Nigeria, where Christians view the use of the scarf with skepticism and believe it is a ploy by the Muslims to foment trouble.
The use of the hijab remains a contentious issue in a secular country such as Nigeria, where Christians view the use of the scarf with skepticism and believe it is a ploy by the Muslims to foment trouble.
Can I have Xtian comments on that last sentence? is it true that Xtian get worried when muslim wear scarve or Hijab.