THE Ogun State Muslim Council (OMC) has called on the state government to put in place formal guidelines to ensure the protection of rights of all students.
In a letter written to the state government, through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, titled ‘Re: Free Religious Practices in Schools: The Need for Formal Guidelines’, the OMC also urged the government to issue a formal paper on students’ use of hijab in schools.
The community, in the letter signed by the Secretary-General, Alhaji Kamaldeen Akintunde, commended what it called the friendly posture of the present administration in the state towards religious matters, but expressed the belief that “formal guidelines are necessary” to ensure that the rights of all students are protected.
“We have observed that in some schools, particularly those tagged as ‘mission schools’, Islamic Religious Knowledge (IRK) teachers are non-existent or are systematically transferred and not replaced. This is despite the fact that these schools are now government-owned.
“Similarly, in community-owned schools, the freedom to practise one’s faith is often dependent on the disposition of the school’s headship,” the OMC said
It cited some schools where the teaching of IRK had been disallowed or IRK teachers transferred and not replaced, whereas “Muslim-oriented schools have freely allowed the teaching of Christian Religious Knowledge (CRK).”
The community added: “We believe that this situation, or anomaly, is at variance with the religious tolerant posture of the Ogun State government. We therefore urge the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) to ensure that teachers are not transferred without adequate replacement, and that the rights of students to practise their faiths are not trampled upon.
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“Furthermore, we request that the government issue a formal circular to clarify its stance on the use of hijab by Muslim students. While the government has stated that no pronouncement has been made against the use of the female head covering, the lack of formal guidelines has led to confusion and discomfort for Muslim students.
“We note that the issuance of circulars is a conventional procedure in established systems, and that such officialdom would help to curb excesses and ensure that the rights of all students or learners are protected.
“We crave your indulgence to note that Ogun State remains the only South West state that has not issued a formal paper on the subject matter of students’ use of hijab in schools. We believe that the issuance of such guidelines would be in line with the principles of fairness, justice and harmony.”
