JAMB: MSSN cautions CBT operators against right of female Muslims

The Muslim Students Society of Nigeria, zone B on Wednesday asked the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to warn operators of its CBT centers not to do anything capable of infringing on the fundamental right of female Muslim students during  JAMB exams.

MSSN stated this in a statement  jointly signed
by Barrister Qaasim Odedeji, Amir/Zonal Coordinator,  Alhaji Abdul Jalil Abdur Rasaq, Secretary and Engineer Bashir Momoh Public Relations Officer made available to journalists in Ibadan.

The society vowed that any attempt by operators of its CBT centers  to do anything capable of infringing on the fundamental right of female Muslim students during the forthcoming JAMB exams ” can lead to destruction of peaceful conduct of the examination.”

“As JAMB is preparing to start the conduct of this year examination, informations have continued to reach us of the attempt by some Christian-based universities to deny female Muslim students posted to those centers the use of hijab for the examination. Universities such as the Redeemers University, Ede and Bowen University, Iwo are reported to be part of such attempt.” it alleges

The society emphasized that “Joint Admission and Matriculation Board is a government body saddled with the responsibility and given power to conduct examinations for admission of students into universities and other tertiary institutions such as polytechnics and colleges of educations”.

It stressed that JAMB in ” its determination to meet the world standard for conduct of such exams, the examination body few years ago moved from paper-based to computer-based exams” resulting in JAMB registering institutions with necessary facilities as its computer-based centers popularly called as CBT centers with JAMB posting students to those centers indiscriminately.

According to MSSN , “among such centers are universities and other institutions qualified for that purpose”, and that “it is no more a news that Muslim female students in institutions of learning and places of work have continued to suffer infringement into their right to the use of Hijab.”

“The MSSN B-Zone reiterates its position for the umpteenth time and which position has been confirmed by superior courts of records that the use of hijab is a fundamental right of female Muslim to freedom of religion.”

The society disclosed that it “is their unalienable right and there is no apology or any compromise about it.”, saying,  “we therefore call on the authority of JAMB to warn the operators of its CBT centers not to do anything capable of infringing on the fundamental right of female Muslim students during the forthcoming JAMB exams as doing so can lead to destruction of peaceful conduct of the examination.”

“We also call on the government and security agencies to prevail on any computer based center who may want to exploit the privilege given to it by JAMB to infringe on the fundamental right of female Muslim students.
We call on our branches as well as other Islamic organizations and Muslim parents to resist any attempt to deny female Muslim students the right to use hijab during the examination”

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