Kwara shuts 10 schools temporarily over Hijab controversy

Kwara on Friday directed an immediate, but temporary closure of some grant-aided schools in Ilorin pending the resolution of a Hijab controversy in the schools.

Mrs Kemi Adeosun,  Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, said in a statement that affected schools are the Cherubim and Seraphim (C&S) College, Sabo Oke and St. Anthony College, Offa Road.

Others are the ECWA School, Oja Iya, Surulere Baptist Secondary School and Bishop Smith Secondary School, Agba Dam.

Also affected are the CAC Secondary School, Asa Dam, St. Barnabas Secondary School, Sabo Oke, St. John School, Maraba, St. Williams Secondary School, Taiwo Isale and St. James Secondary School, Maraba.

“’The closure comes as a government committee comprising representatives of the Muslim and Christian communities meets on Friday to iron out the differences between the two religious communities.

“Government calls for calm and urges parents and religious leaders to avoid actions or comments that may further split the two communities,’’ Adeosun stated.

Reports said that the ban on the use of Hijab in some missionary secondary schools in Kwara has dominated public discourse in the state lately.

With the lockout of some students wearing Hijab in affected schools, the discourse has been generating controversies and heated debates.