8th
July, 2021
PRESS RELEASE:
SALAH: MURIC APPEALS TO LAGOS EXAM BOARD TO SHIFT ENTRANCE
EXAM FROM SALAH DAY
The Muslim
Rights Concern (MURIC) has appealed to the Lagos State Examinations Board to
shift one of the dates of its Entrance Examination into Lagos State Model
Colleges which falls on 19th July, 2021. The group argues that 19th
or 20th July are still being considered for the Muslim festival of
Id Al-Adha while neither date has been confirmed.
The appeal was
contained in a statement issued by the director of the organisation, Professor
Ishaq Akintola.
The statement
reads:
“The Lagos State Examinations Board has set aside 15th -
17th and 19th July, 2021 for the conduct of Year 2021 CBT-based Screening Test
Entrance Examination into Lagos State Model Colleges. Coincidentally, the Muslim
festival of Id Al-Adha is being speculated to hold on 19th or 20th
July, 2021. This has raised tension among Muslims in the state who have called
our attention to the likelihood of a clash between the examination and their
festival.
“From the look
of things, 19th July, 2021 will either clash with the Muslim
festival or it will be too close for comfort. The inconveniences this is likely
to cause can be compared to picking 24th December which is too close
to Christmas day (25th December) for an examination. It is therefore
controversial. The Lagos State government may want to steer clear of a highly
controversial date as a mark of recognition, respect and sensitivity for the
feelings of Muslims in the state.
“Our humble suggestion is that another day be
substituted for 19th July which is the last day of the examination. It
is very glaring that the examination is a four-day affair. Instead of starting
on Thursday 15th July, the exercise may start from Wednesday 14th
July and end on Saturday 17th July 2021. Option ‘B’ is to postpone
the last paper till after the Muslim festival. Thursday 22nd July
appears to be suitable for this shift.
“The shift to
Thursday 22nd July will not have any negative impact on candidates
as there had been a shift in the dates planned for the same examination in the
past. The 2021 Entrance Examination into Lagos State Model Colleges was initially slated for 28th June - 3rd July, 2021 but it was shifted
to 15th to 19th July, 2021. Therefore, a new postponement
will not surprise the candidates, their parents and guardians.
“We appeal to the Lagos
State Examinations Board to consider this proposal. Lagos is known for
religious tolerance and the state has enjoyed cordial inter-religious
relationship for long. It is also well known that Muslims in the state have
enjoyed religious freedom under the present administration of Governor Babajide
Sanwoolu. This peaceful ecosystem needs to be nurtured into fruition when we
can all boldly beat our chests and say, ‘This, truly, is the State of
Excellence’.
“In the same vein, we urge the Board to allow a two-hour break
during the examination which will be held on Friday, 16th July, 2021
(if the examination time-table does not reflect this already) to enable Muslim
candidates to worship.
“We must seize this opportunity to commend the
Lagos State Government, particularly the Commissioner for Education who has
always taken steps to address issues immediately they are reported. This has
resulted in amicable settlement of cases of hijab persecution in some Lagos
schools and the avertion of crisis.
“In the same vein, we urge the Board to allow a two-hour break
during the examination which will be held on Friday, 16th July, 2021
(if the examination time-table does not reflect this already) to enable Muslim
candidates to worship.
“We also appeal to Muslims in the state to show
understanding. The expected clash between the examination date and the
Muslim festival must have been inadvertent due to the unstable nature of the
Islamic calendar. The last Ramadan festival (Id Al-Fitr) holiday is a good example.
“Although the
Federal Government actually declared two days, Wednesday 12th and
Thursday 13th May, 2021 as holidays having speculated that Wednesday
would be the Salah day, Ramadan did not end on Tuesday as expected. It ended on
Wednesday. Therefore, Thursday became Salah day thereby rendering the holiday
declared on Wednesday extraneous. The Muslims ended up enjoying only one day
which was the second day (Thursday, 13th May, 2021).
“True to our
avowed motto, ‘Dialogue, No Violence’, MURIC will continue to engage
governments, institutions, groups and individuals in peaceful interface. We
urge Muslims in Lagos State to continue to cooperate with the government and
never to resort to violence or any form of confrontation. We need a peaceful
atmosphere for the state to experience meaningful growth.”
Professor Ishaq
Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights
Concern (MURIC)
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