Some muslims and Christian groups are currently locked in battle over the new education policy introduced by Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola.
The Christian Association of Nigeria in the state had opposed the policy, saying it was introduced to wipe away the heritage bequeathed unto them by the early missionaries.
Last week, the Osun Baptist Congress staged a protest against the new education policy in the state, saying they would not allow hijab-wearing students to be merged with the students of the Baptist College, Iwo.
But the Joint Muslims Action Forum, which is an umbrella body for all Islamic groups in the state, issued a statement on Sunday condemning the protest by the Osun Baptist Congress.
The statement was issued by JOMAF Coordinator, Alhaji Kola Uzamat; and Secretary, Mr. Qaasim Odedeji.
The group described the prevention of hijab-wearing students from Christian schools as an act of religious intolerance, which the Islamic group said would not be allowed in the state.
They accused Christians of attempting to sabotage Aregbesola’s policy, which they said was introduced to address the decay in the education sector in the state.
Aregbesola is a Muslim.
Also, the Catholic Media Practitioners in the state has threatened to drag the state government to court in order to stop the schools merger.
The CAMP, in a statement issued by its Public Relations Officer, Mr. Richard Adesida, said that the new policy, especially transforming single-sex schools to co-educational was unacceptable to the Catholic and it would be resisted by every legal means.
The JOMAF statement read, “This is a blatant display of religious intolerance and lack of accommodation which cannot stand the test of time in a multi-religious society. This is an appropriate time and medium to debunk the age-long erroneous ownership claims on those schools that were acquired by missionaries from various host communities.
“The Baptist High Schools in Iwo, Ede and Iree as well as the Methodist High School, Otan Ayegbaju; Gbongan\Odeomu Anglican Grammar School and St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School, Ilobu, were all founded by their various Muslim-dominated communities but were fraudulently hijacked in the course of registration and search for teachers.
“We wish to draw the attention of the Baptist convention and other missionaries to the fact that the loss or obliteration of their heritage could not be rightly located in the education transformation policy of the present administration in Osun State.
“The issue of ownership of schools had been settled way back in the mid-seventies when the then Federal Government acquired all missionary schools, both Muslim and Christian-owned and compensated them for same.”
The Catholic group condemned the turning of single-sex school into mixed ones, saying they would not allow the merging of Catholic schools in the state with some other schools as a result of the “obnoxious educational policy of the state government.”
“We are particularly sad that schools like St. Charles Grammar School, Osogbo; and St. John Grammar School, Ile – Ife which were boys’ school now joined together with female schools,” the statement read. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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All these Lagosians migrating to Osun State to collect political posts. Hian!!
ReplyDeleteAregbesola is insensitive to the social climate of Osun State especially in these sensitive times. Apart from the legacies, these schools were all like community schools which built to make education accessible and not to distant from the communities they served. Now merging those schools will make some schools distant to communities they should be serving.
Also education is bread and butter for Osun State people as majority of them either work 4 government or schools or they are offering services or goods to them. Shutting down a school in a community to merge it with other small schools to a mega school in a not too close community, means some people in the small school's community are losing their means of livelihood. Osun suffered a violent clash during Oyinlola's reign on the matter of locating a state University also.
Our leaders should understand that their clients are the people and a dissenting voice means someone isn't been served well. He should think deeply and thread with caution, so that he wouldn't taint his legacy by causing confusion amongst the people.
These fine buildings he has set up, why not make them model schools and offer scholarships and bursaries to those who do well in the other smaller communities. Everyone will be happy that way.
Its because Rauf is insincere. His goal is to foister islamic values in a state that is multi religious. This is the problem with extreme islamists. For.years students of all religions have been attending thesenschools without rancor... jow he has come.to cause division. Why not.create new mixed schools and leave the one that have enviable history and heritage to be preseved. What Osun.needs are more schools, training for teachers, improved teaching aids etc... not some.new.dress code And the.distractions of mergers etc.
ReplyDeleteAregbesola the extremist, that was how the north east started unconsciously,well your children are not in nigeria....(salami)
ReplyDelete