Tengku Zulkarnain Says SKB Three Ministers Forbade Muslim Women To Wear Hijab: Efforts To Maintain Taqwa, Why Prohibited?

JAKARTA - Tengku Zulkarnaen again criticized following the issuance of the SKB on the Use of Uniforms and Attributes for Students, Educators and Education Personnel in School Environments Organized by Local Governments at the Primary and Secondary Education Levels.

Criticism was delivered via a tweet on his Twitter account, @ustadtengkuzul. According to him, the SKB signed by three ministers, Minister of Education and Culture Nadiem Makarim, Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian, and Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas prohibited the wearing of the hijab.

"Mr 3 Ministers who issued a decree on uniforms in public schools, is emphasizing that female students wearing a headscarf at school is against and against the goals of education in the Republic of Indonesia? Isn't veiled Muslim women an attempt to become taqwa? Why is it prohibited ?," tweeted the former Deputy Secretary General of the MUI Leadership Council quoted by VOI, Thursday, February 4

According to him, it is obligatory for Muslim female students to wear a headscarf in an educational environment so that they become pious people in the future.

"Why is it prohibited? It's an effort ...? It is the same as prohibiting students from smoking, so that they will be good later. Should students choose to smoke or not without coercion? Think about it," tweeted Tengku Zul.

Minister of Education and Culture Nadiem previously stated that the considerations for issuing the SKB were, among others, so that schools could function in building the insights, attitudes and character of students, educators and education personnel to maintain national unity and integrity.

For local governments or school principals that have issued regulations requiring or prohibiting uniforms and religious specific attributes to be revoked within 30 days from the stipulation of the SKB.

According to Nadiem, quoted by Antara, Thursday, February 4, the use of religious attributes in public schools is an individual decision. Schools may no longer require students or education personnel to wear uniforms with certain religious attributes.

"Whatever religion it is. The use of school uniforms with religious attributes in state schools is the decision of students and teachers as individuals," said Nadiem.