Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan
The Management of the University of Ibadan, UI, on Monday closed down the institution’s secondary school, International School, Ibadan, ISI, indefinitely.
This is a fall out of recent agitation for the use of hijab by Muslim students of the school.
The Muslim Parent Forum of the school had recently tried to enforce the use of hijab by their children to which the Board of the school insisted that it was against the dress code of the school.
On Monday, the aggrieved parents stormed the school as early as 7am to disrupt activities. Some were seen performing prayers at the school gate while some were carrying banners.
In a swift reaction, the management of the school announced its closure through a notice placed at the school entrance, which reads, “The International School, University of Ibadan has been closed down until further notice. Please, take note”.
In the same direction, the Chairman, Board of Governors of the school, Professor Yinka Aderinto, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic, of the nation’s Premier University, appealed to the parents to show understanding in the necessity to close down the school.
According to a letter, titled, “An Appeal for Calm”, signed by Aderinto, the don noted that the decision to shut down the school was difficult to take.
The letter addressed to the parents reads in part:
“I am reaching you through this medium to apologise for failing to hold classes today, and for closing the school to academic activities. This was a very difficult decision for me to take on behalf of the Board of Governors, but one which I had to take to prevent further breakdown of law and order.
“You will all recall that we have been battling with a Religious crisis since Monday, November 12, 2018, following a letter we received from a body of Muslim Parents notifying us of the commencement of the use of hijab by female Muslim students. You were also aware of the resolutions of the Parents/Teachers Association’s meeting of Tuesday, November 13, 2018, and the decisions of the Board of Governors after a meeting that held on Wednesday, November 14, 2019.
“In the last one week, and particularly over the last weekend, there were many meetings held with the group by concerned individuals and notable Islamic leaders on the need for the group to drop their violent approach, and allow the school activities to proceed without further disruption while lasting solution would continue to be sought by all stakeholders in the ISI project. Unfortunately, the group refused to yield to this call by eminent citizens, and continued their agitation, and preventing the school from opening for normal academic activities. It is most unfortunate that our Dear children have to be made to go through this experience, but I assure you that the school will come out stronger at the end of it all.
“On the part of the Board of Governors, we are making all efforts to ensure that our children are not kept out of school for long, bearing in mind that our Advance level, SS3 and JSS 3 students will be writing their WAEC examinations early next year.
“I, therefore appeal to all of you to remain calm while concerted efforts are being made to ensure that we reopen the school very soon”.