- Dismiss allegations of religious bias in enforcement
BY VICTOR BUORO – Student Leaders at Kaduna Polytechnic said the dress code regulation and enforcement in the institution are not targeted at any religious group as they equally apply to all students regardless of faith.
Drawn from the Students’ Union Government (SUG), the Muslim Students Society (MSS) and the Fellowship of Christian Students (FCS), the Leaders reaffirmed unity among students and cautioned against attempts to portray the issue as a religious crisis.
Speaking on behalf of the leaders at a joint press conference on Monday, the SUG President, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Mai-Jama’a, said the various student bodies were united across religious lines and have come together to clarify misconceptions surrounding the enforcement of the dress code within the campus.
According to Comrade Mai-Jama’a, the institution’s established dress code policy is designed to promote an environment of professionalism, decency, and discipline among the student population and the general Polytechnic family.
He said, “We are here today as representatives of the entire student body, united across religious lines, to address recent discussions and misconceptions surrounding the enforcement of the institution’s dress code policy.
“The dress code policy of Kaduna Polytechnic is a long-standing institutional rule designed to promote decency, professionalism and a conducive learning environment for all. It applies equally to every student and staff member without favouritism or discrimination based on faith.”
The SUG President said the recent enforcement by security personnel was part of efforts to uphold the existing rule and should not be interpreted as an attempt to impose any religious standard.
However, conceding that implementation and enforcement might have been overly zealous in a few isolated situations, the Leaders regretted such misunderstandings, saying: “We acknowledge that there may have been isolated cases of overzealous enforcement or misunderstandings in implementation. However, these do not reflect the spirit of the policy or the values of our institution.”
They noted that the management had initiated investigations into the reported incidents and commended the institution’s management, under the Rector, Dr Suleiman Umar, for maintaining peace and ensuring uninterrupted academic activities.
Also pleading with the students to comply with the dress code as contained in the school’s handbook and admission guidelines, the Leaders said, “We call on all students to comply with the dress code as outlined in the student handbook and admission guidelines.
“Let us continue to dress decently and responsibly, as this reflects positively on our individual character and the image of our great institution.”
Meanwhile, the Students Leaders have urged members of the public and the media to disregard narratives in certain quarters suggesting the institution is divided along religious lines, maintaining that such assertions of religious division within the institution are baseless
