The State's Tutor-General/Permanent Secretary of Education for District IV, Osinaike Olusegun Olawale, issued a circular warning that violators of the supreme court's ruling on the hijab in schools will suffer severe repercussions.
Several public school administrators and staff members in the state received warnings from the state administration not to physically harm pupils wearing hijabs.
A Muslim female student was reportedly forced to take off her hijab at the school assembly by the careless principal.
Recall that the supreme court had upheld Muslim students' constitutional rights to wear the hijab in schools by ruling favouring its use.
The Tutor-General stated that defying the supreme court's ruling is highly frowned upon by the Lagos State administration.
The state government's widely circulated circular encouraging compliance with the supreme court decision was disregarded by the principal, according to an earlier story in Prime9jaOnline.
Apart from the school's principal, other personnel implicated in the breach have also been recalled, the Tutor-General confirmed in the circular.
According to information at our disposal, the principal of Eletu-Odibo Junior High School, Abule-Oja, Yaba, allegedly decided to disregard the Supreme Court's ruling on the use of the hijab in Lagos State Schools, which was delivered on June 17, 2022, and the Head of Service Circular No. 068, dated December 5, 2022, which was made available to all principals through the Information Platform (E34 Notice formation) (PSR).
"However, while the inquiry is underway, the principal and other concerned officials have been immediately withdrawn from the school.
For the avoidance of doubt, any principal or staff member who is found attacking pupils over the hijab or in any other manner violates the hijab judgement will suffer serious repercussions going forward. Be aware that the Lagos State Government takes disobedience seriously and firmly disapproves of it.