Case Of Students Forced To Wear Hijabs, KPAI Finds Uniform Rules For SMAN 1 Banguntapan Bantul Not In Accordance With Permendikbud

Illustration (Photo by Yassin Nur Fadhilah on Unsplash)

YOGYAKARTA - The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) supervised and handled a case of alleged coercion to the use of a headscarf against a student at SMA Negeri 1 Banguntapan, Bantul Regency, DI Yogyakarta.

KPAI Commissioner for Education, Retno Listyarti, said that her party together with a team from the Ministry of Education and Culture and representatives of the DIY Provincial Government asked for an explanation regarding the provisions for school uniforms at SMAN 1 Banguntapan.

This is because there are leaflets that guide the use of school uniforms at SMAN 1 Banguntapan which are equipped with pictures. Where, there is a provision for using a long shirt and skirt or trousers and a headscarf.

Retno said that this leaflet was recognized by the school as a document issued by the school and distributed to students. In fact, according to him, this is not in accordance with regulations issued by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Kemendikbudristek).

"The uniform provisions and reinforced with pictures, in the victim's children's schools do not comply with the provisions of the Minister of Education and Culture Number 45 of 2014 concerning Uniforms for Elementary and Secondary Education Students," said Retno in a statement in Yogyakarta, Thursday, August 4.

Retno continued, the team also had time to tour the school area. When entering the school area, Retno saw students in the classroom and exercising. All the students he saw were wearing headscarves.

"When they entered the two classes, all the girls wore headscarves. Likewise when they walked around the school and greeted the students. According to the headmaster, Muslim students at the school wore headscarves, although it is not mandatory for the school to wear a headscarf," said Retno.

Retno also asked for a chronology of the alleged incidents of coercion to use the school's version of the hijab. The incident occurred on July 18, 20, 25, and 26, 2022. The team recorded and studied information from the principal and vice principal for curriculum, BK teachers, and homeroom teachers.

However, the statement from the school differs from the statement of the family of the class X student who was allegedly forced to wear the hijab.

"Essentially, the BK teacher and homeroom teacher admitted that there was an incident of putting a headscarf on the victim's child in the BK room, but the excuse was only as a tutorial," explained Retno.

Therefore, Retno said KPAI and the Inspectorate General of the Ministry of Education and Technology will still meet with the Head of the Education and Sports Office of the DIY Province to ask for information on the handling of the case and the school's investigation process in the alleged case of forcing the headscarf.

"KPAI and the Inspectorate General of the Ministry of Education and Culture will continue to oversee this case, and all monitoring results will be used as the basis for issuing recommendations on the case," he added.