- Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Ask Govt To Revisit Order
From Segun Amure, (The New Diplomat’s Abuja Bureau)
The Kwara State Government has announced the shutting down of 10 mission schools over the Hijab (religious veil) controversy rocking the state until further notice.
This was disclosed in a statement released by the Permanent Secretary, Delta Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, Mrs Kemi Adeosun on Monday in Ilorin.
The affected schools are C&S College Sabo Oke, St. Anthony Secondary School, Offa Road, ECWA School, Oja Iya, Surulere Baptist Secondary School and Bishop Smith Secondary School, Agba Dam.
Other schools are CAC Secondary School Asa Dam road, St. Barnabas Secondary School Sabo Oke, St. John School Maraba, St. Williams Secondary School Taiwo Isale, and St. James Secondary School Maraba
The government directed staff and students of the school to remain at home till the ban is lifted.
The statement reads, “The government, therefore, directs school children and teachers in the affected schools to remain at home until the contrary is announced.
“The government remains committed to fairness, pluralism, and respect for the law and rights of every citizen at all times,” she said.
10 schools were on Feb.19, closed down temporarily over the Hijab controversy in the state.
A committee was set up by the government to find a solution to the issue.
However, on Feb. 26, the state government announced March 8, for the reopening of all the closed schools, directing that Hijab be accepted as part of school uniform in schools.
In a related development, the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church Worldwide in Kwara on Sunday rejected the directive, asking the Kwara State government to revisit its order on the use of Hijab by Muslim female students at the Cherubim and Seraphim College, llorin.
Addressing newsmen in Ilorin, the Chairman and Spiritual Father of the church, Most Reverend Samuel Abidoye, made the church’s position known to newsmen in Ilorin on Sunday.
In his words, Abidoye submitted that, the movement is against the use of the Muslim veil by female students of the school since the church would be responsible for the appointment of the management of the institution and decide on dress code and use of beret.
Also, the Secretary of Ilorin District headquarters of the movement, Mr Samson Ibidoja, also stressed that the maintenance of the school has been the sole responsibility of the church.
Mr. Ibidoja said the Cherubim and Seraphim College at Sabo-oke in llorin owned by Seraphim Church Worldwide was established in 1969 to take care of the educational development of children.
The church therefore advised the government to revisit its decision on the matter to forestall unnecessary trespass capable of leading to breakdown of law and order in any part of the state.
The state government had earlier called a stakeholders dialogue between Christians and Muslims and later came out with a decision to allow the use of Hijab by female students in all schools in the state.
The Kwara State Government had on 26 February, announced the approval in a statement released by the Secretary to the Kwara State Government, Mamma Sabah Jibril.
His words, “Consequently, the government hereby acknowledges and approves the right of the Muslim schoolgirl to wear the hijab, and directs the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development to come up with a uniform hijab for all public/ grant-aided schools, which will be the accepted mode of head covering in schools,”
“Consequently, the government hereby acknowledges and approves the right of the Muslim schoolgirl to wear the hijab, and directs the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development to come up with a uniform hijab for all public/ grant-aided schools, which will be the accepted mode of head covering in schools,” Jibril said in a statement.
Jibril added that, “the government affirms the right of every child in public schools to freedom of worship.”
“Any willing schoolgirl with the approved (uniform) hijab shall have the right to wear the same in public/grant-aided schools”.
