Ogun Muslim Council Appeals To Ogun Govt To Deploy More IRK Teachers To Public Secondary Schools, Calls For Formal Circular On Use Of Hijab In Schools

Ogun State Muslim Council (OMC) has expressed concern over inadequate number of teachers handling "Islamic Religious Knowledge (IRK)" in public schools, calling for deployment of more teachers in the subject, particularly to mission schools in the state, where such teachers are not existing

Secretary-General of the State Council of OMC, Asiwaju Kamaldeen Akintunde Esq who expressed the concern of Muslims in an open letter dated January 27, 2025 written to the State Commissioner of Education,Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, obtained by Edu-Biznews on Wednesday in Abeokuta ,also called for issuance of formal circular from the ministry to heads of public schools on the use of hijab by Muslim female students in public schools 

The council in the letter appreciated the friendly posture of the Prince Dapo Abiodun's administration towards faith-based matters, stressing the need for formal guidelines 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 none existence or being 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 practice one's faith is often dependent on the disposition of the school's headship"

"We cite the examples of Lisabi Grammar School, Abeokuta Grammar School, Baptist Boys' High School, Abeokuta, and Methodist High School, Sagamu where the teaching of IRK has been disallowed, or IRK teachers have been transferred or not replaced. In contrast, Muslim-oriented schools have freely allowed the teaching of Christian Religious Knowledge (CRK)", OMC observed 

The Muslim apex body in the state then urged the State Teaching Service Commission to address what it described as anomaly which 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 practice their faith are not trampled upon and should be protected", the council stated 

On the use of "hijab" by Muslim students in public schools, the State Muslim Council requested from the State Government to issue out a formal circular on its stance just like other South Western States did 

"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 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", the letter concluded