The 11-person committee set up by Kwara State government to investigate the corporal punishment meted to some Arabic school students in Ganmo has submitted its report.
Presenting the report to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Monday, chairman of the committee and former Grand Kadi of the state, Justice Idris Haroon, said their recommendations included an appeal to the government to immediately set up the Arabic Board to regulate the activities of Arabic and Islamic schools.
The constitution of the board, he said, will provide an immediate solution to most of the problems confronting Arabic schools in the state.
The committee, which frowned “at the magnitude and manner in which the punishment was carried out”, said steps must be taken to ensure that corrective measures were moderate and better implemented.
Justice Haroon said in the course of their assignment, the committee interacted with the management, staff and students of the school, adding that different sessions were held with the parents/guardians of the affected students and some members of the host community.
The governor, on his part, commended the committee members for accepting the call to serve the people of the state.
He said the government would study and implement the report for the benefits of the society, including the setting up of the Arabic Board.
He said, “We chose to invite experts in the field to look into the issue because the government understood the delicate nature of the issues involved.”
