International School, Ibadan kicks against Students’ use of Hijab

The Board of Governors of the International School, Ibadan, has insisted on maintaining the status quo and disallowing the use of hijabs in the school.

Punch reports that this decision was made after a meeting presided over by the school’s Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic, Adeyinka Aderinto.

The management has a right to enforce the dress code in the rules and regulations of the school, the board said.

In a mail to Punch, the old students’ association of the school, University of Ibadan International School Old Students Association, also kicked against the use of hijab. The mail read:

The International School Ibadan is a secular international school established to admit and provide the best possible education for boys and girls from all over the world, irrespective of their ethnicity, creed, race or religion. It is a centre where children are brought to learn from one another with the aim of finding their common humanity.

The uniform policy was introduced to disabuse socio-economic inequalities, discourage segregation and minimise distractions to academic activities. The uniform is unique and is the fabric that has bound cultures and traditions till date. Beyond this, the association wishes to advise that all overt religious activities on the school campus should be discouraged henceforth.

While we believe that every student should be free to practise whatever religion they wish, we are also persuaded that the exercise of such rights must be carried out within the bounds of civility. Within these bounds of civility, what cannot be condoned are actions being taken by a select few that could potentially jeopardise the comfort and safety of all ISI students and teachers.

The ISI, as we believe, has one mandate and that is to deliver quality education to every single student in the school, and nothing more.