EDUCATION MINISTRY PROMISES HIJAB REGULATIONS FOR STUDENTS

Jakarta, 26 Jumadil Akhir 1435/26 April 2014 (MINA)- The Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture promised to make regulation of uniforms guidelines from elementary to secondary students, including hijab for female students.

The Deputy Minister, Windu Nurhayati and the Secretary General of Secondary Education Department, Sutanto stated it in front of the advocacy team of student organizations in the headquarters, Friday.

Two days before, six student organizations held rally from Hotel Indonesia to Presidential Palace (8,1 km), Indonesian capital’s Jakarta

They filed a petition supporting Muslim female students who want to wear hijab while in school. Some school institutions in Bali and Papua had banned the using hijab for its female students.

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The advocacy team has collected 12.171 signatures from Indonesian students. They are from Indonesian Muslim Students (PII), Nadhatul Ulama Female Students Institution (IPPNU), Indonesian Muslim Student Union (KAMMI), Muslim Students Association (HMI), National Forum of Propagation among Universities (FSLDKN), and the Muslim Students Association (IPM).

They filed three things as their demands. First, the government must give guarantee to female students who want to wear hijab in school. Second, the government must provide religious facilities in public places. Third, the government must oversee the implementation of the regulation.

“Not all our submission are agreed by the government, “For example, they did not agree with the third point. The government need more budget and personnels to do that,” the coordinator of advocacy team, Helmi Al Djufri told Mi ‘raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)’reporter.

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“Helmi also said if the government did not fulfill the petition in the near future, He will hold greater massive demonstration.

Based on the investigation data, there are 40 school institutions in Bali prohibited its female students from wearing hijab. The schools spread in districts of Denpasar, Badung, Buleleng, Jembrana and Bangli. (L/Nidiya/P04/)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)