By Our Correspondent
The Court of Appeal in Ibadan has overturned the 2024 judgment of the Oyo State High Court that permitted female Muslim students of the International School, University of Ibadan (ISI), to wear the hijab as part of the school’s uniform.
In a split 2–1 majority decision delivered on Friday, the appellate court held that ISI operates as a private school and is therefore entitled to enforce its established dress code and uniform policy. The court further ruled that the Supreme Court’s earlier decision on the use of hijab in public schools does not automatically apply to private educational institutions.
According to the lead judgment, students and parents accepted the school’s rules, including its uniform regulations, upon admission. As a result, the court found that the school’s dress code remains binding.
The ruling sets aside the earlier High Court judgment, restoring the school’s authority to maintain its uniform policy. However, one member of the three-man panel dissented, maintaining that the students’ appeal should have succeeded.
The decision marks a significant development in the long-running legal dispute over the balance between religious freedom and the autonomy of private schools to regulate their internal policies. The matter may still proceed to the Supreme Court if any of the parties decides to file a further appeal.
