MAKE OYO EDUCATION A UTMOST PRIORITY — MURIC

The Oyo State government has been urged to make education a matter of utmost priority.

The call was made by the leading human rights group in Nigeria, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) following the recent reports on the education sector in the State.

In a statement circulated to the media on Wednesday, 27th November 2024. The State Ambassador and Secretary General of the Muslim Rights Concern MURIC Oyo State Chapter called for urgent proactive measures to ensure proper access to education in the State.

The full message reads:

We are writing to express our strong opposition to your decision to convert the Oyo State Library Board into a shopping complex. This move is alarming and indicates a disregard for education in Oyo State.

Converting a public library into a commercial space for traders will deprive the community of a valuable resource essential for education, research, and community development. Moreover, the deplorable conditions of schools in Oyo State, including dilapidated buildings and inadequate facilities, suggest a lack of priority for education.

The sale of public facilities, such as the modern motor park facility in the Wema area, Old Ife Road Ibadan, to private individuals is also concerning. We urge you to rescind your decision to convert the library into a shopping complex and prioritize education in Oyo State. You must withdraw your plan for the relocation of the library from where it is to another place. We advise that more libraries should be built than the relocation of the unrenovated ones.

We received many complaints from students of many faith-based missionary public schools in the State, for disallowment of hijab on their School uniform. We understand that there’s a supposed memorandum of understanding between the Christian missionaries and the state government that the students of those schools would not be allowed to wear hijabs. This has to be stopped, it’s an infringement of rights. A channel to deprive Muslim children of their right to education, in public schools owned by the government.

We request that you:

– Increase funding for education

– Fix dilapidated school

– Issue a circular backing the use of hijab in all government public schools

– Provide necessary resources for our children to thrive

Education is crucial for economic growth, poverty reduction, and fostering an informed citizenry. We demand that you take education seriously, prioritize it in your budget, and work towards creating a world-class educational system.

The future of our state depends on the quality of education we provide to our children. We expect more from your administration and hope you will take our concerns seriously.

#StopDiscrimination

#MotivateReadingCulture

#BringbackOurLibrary

Mallam Ibrahim Agunbiade

Ambassador,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) Oyo State.