UI VC, Professor Abel Idowu Olayinka

Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan

The International School, University of Ibadan, UI, is in the news again, as its Board of Governors refuted the news circulating through the social media that a female student, Ikhlas Olasubomi Badiru, has been suspended for wearing hijab on her school uniform.

The Board, in a Press release, reiterated that the student’s suspension has nothing to do with hijab, pointing out that she was suspended for two weeks for committing an act of impudence.

The Board stated that the report of the social media on the matter was a distortion of fact and very far from the truth, noting that Ikhlas was suspended for wearing unauthorized cardigan to the school.

The Board said, “The facts of the case are as follows: Ikhlas and some other students wore unauthorized cardigans to school on Thursday, 4 July 2019. They were directed to remove the unauthorized cardigans by one of the vice-principals of the school. While other students, with humility, complied with the directive of the Vice-Principal, Ikhlas blatantly refused to comply. She subsequently defiantly walked out on the vice-principal who instructed her and some other students to take off the unauthorized cardigans. The vice-principal reported the matter to the management of the school. Ikhlas was invited to make a statement on what transpired. The matter was referred to the Student Disciplinary Investigation Panel, SDIP, to give Ikhlas a fair hearing and the SDIP met on Thursday 4 July 2019 to consider the case. Ikhlas was invited by the SDIP to present her case and she did so”.

The Board continued, “It is instructive to note that at the meeting of the SDIP, the following were established: Ikhlas refused to obey the instruction of the officer of the school to remove the unauthorized cardigan. She defiantly walked away when the officer instructed her to remove the cardigan. The conduct is rather strange and unexpected of any student of ISI! Indeed, from available records, this is the first time a student of the school will behave in such a manner. From all facts available to the school, the state of health of Ikhlas on that day did not prevent her from respecting the regulations of the school which she undertook to obey and be of good conduct as a student of the school. Besides, she did not claim that she was feeling unwell in any way while she was addressing the vice-principal”.

The Board affirmed, “This is an established case of misconduct bordering on an act of impudence, to which Ikhlas affirmed her liability in her written and oral defense. In line with the rules and regulation of the school, the SDIP recommended that she be suspended for two weeks as a corrective measure and to serve as deterrent to other students. The recommendations of the SDIP was considered and subsequently approved by the main Student Disciplinary Committee, SDC, on Wednesday, 28 August 2019. Given that the school was on vacation at the time of the approval of the recommendation of suspension, its implementation was deferred to the commencement of the resumption of school by the SS3 students”.

The Board further affirmed that the suspension of Ikhlas has absolutely nothing to do with hijab, rather, she was suspended for wearing unauthorised cardigan, refusal to take this off as instructed by a vice-principal of the school, while other offenders complied, and defiantly walking out on the vice-principal.

The Board concluded, “The information on the social media on this matter is grossly misrepresented, misleading and false. As such, it should be disregarded in its entirety. Parents, stakeholders and especially the media are advised to confirm information before publishing them on the media. It is equally important that we do the same before accepting, circulating or acting on any information obtained on any media platform”.