The Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC) Nigeria says the Lagos State Government has done the right thing by issuing a circular in compliance with the Supreme Court judgment on the right of Muslim students to wear hijab in public schools.
In a statement congratulating Muslim students and organisations on the development, Executive Chairman, MPAC, Mr Disu Kamor, noted that the government had struggled to exclude Muslim students from public-funded education but was defeated to the level of the apex court.
“Finally, the Lagos State Government has issued the circular to bring itself into conformity with the Supreme Court judgment on the right of Muslim girls to wear hijab in public schools. This is the right thing to do.
“The Lagos State Government had fought tooth and nail to ensure that hijab-wearing female students in its public secondary schools were excluded from public-funded education in Lagos State or forced to make a choice between observing a constitutionally protected right to freedom of religious expression and accessing public education. The government was defeated in court all the way to the Supreme Court and shown to be a serial violator of a constitutional guarantee,” the statement read.
“Congrats to the Muslim students who bore the brunt of the discriminatory policy for so long and many Muslim organizations that created a common front, and stood shoulder-to-shoulder for many years, to end the abuse and discrimination.
“This is a huge relief to parents and students and we hope the circular will be seen by all stakeholders, particularly those responsible for implementing it, as a necessary policy statement of the State Government.”
MPAC added that the circular release is a win for all, urging for cooperation to make the educational institutions truly inclusive.
“We hope the State government will ensure that resources are allocated to roll back the impact of long years of discrimination and abuses against hijab in the schools and bring about change of heart and mind amongst those who had brutally (or violently) enforced the discriminatory policy. It is time to work together and make our educational institutions truly inclusive and free of bigotry. This is a win for all.”
