The Principal of Ijagbo Baptist High School in Oyun Local Government Area of Kwara State, Mr. Francis Lambe, on Monday, expressed fear over the forthcoming WASSCE, saying that about 151 Senior Secondary School students may miss the examination.
The informant247 Nigeria News had ealier reported that the state government had ordered the closure of the school on February 3, 2022, due to a crisis related to the wearing of hijab by Muslim female students in the school.
Following this crisis, the Kwara State Government has set up a seven-member committee to look into the cause of the crisis in the school.
The committee members include; the Chairman of the panel, Dr. Shehu Omoniyi, co-chairman of the panel, Mr. Emmanuel Fatolam, who is also the Secretary-General of Ijagbo Descendants Progressive Union.
Other members of the Committee include Pastor Modupe Agboola; Kwara State Chairperson of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Dr. Saudat Baki; Special Assistant to the Governor on Religion (Islam), Alhaji Ibrahim Danmaigoro; Special Assistant to the Governor on Religion (Christianity), Reverend Timothy Akangbe; and a director in the Ministry of Justice, Mr. Ishola Olofere, who served as the Secretary of the Committee
The Principal of the school showed concern while speaking to the panel in Ilorin, Insisting that the final-year students might miss the June 2022 West African Senior School Certificate Examination if nothing is done to resolve the lingering crisis.
He urged the state government to find lasting solutions to the problem so that the final-year students who preparing for their WASSCE in June can safely return to school in preparation for lessons and examinations.
He said: “What I will recommend to the government is to invite the CAN and the concerned Muslim stakeholders and let them understand that policy is policy and pacify the two sides. Now, our school is closed. We have our SS3 students about 151 students ready to write WAEC.”
Responding to questions from the seven-member committee set up to investigate the circumstances that led to the recent violence, Lambe agreed that the school is owned by the state government, enjoining all the stakeholders to accept the government’s policies in all public schools.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the panel, Dr. Shehu Omoniyi, reiterated that the panel was set up to assess what happened, how it happened, and make specific recommendations to the government to prevent a recurrence.
“This panel is not meant to witch-hunt anybody. We are to assess critically what happened, how it happened to those that were involved, and make specific recommendations.
“I urge people to calm down and cooperate with us. If you are invited, speak the truth and nothing but the truth. There’s no need to mislead the panel. Because we want to work with the fear of God and I hope at the end of the day all sides will be happy with our recommendations,” he stressed.