Learning From The Forced Use Of The Headscarf At SMKN 2 Padang, Minister Of Education And Culture Nadiem Will Create A Complaint Hotline

Minister of Education and Culture, Nadiem Makarim. (Photo: Doc. Setkab)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemendikbud) will soon issue a circular and open a special hotline for complaints to avoid a recurrence of cases of forced use of the headscarf at SMKN 2 Padang, West Sumatra, which was experienced by a non-Muslim student.

Minister of Education and Culture (Mendikbud) Nadiem Makarim said this hotline would later be intended as a means of prevention that could be accessed by anyone.

"We at the Ministry of Education and Culture will continue to strive to prevent intolerant practices in the school environment. As a constructive action based on this incident in the near future we will issue a Circular and open a special hotline for complaints to prevent similar violations from recurring," Nadiem said as quoted from the video. uploaded to his official Instagram account @nadiemmakarim, Sunday, January 24.

Furthermore, the former Gojek boss also said that his party had coordinated with the local government after receiving reports related to this incident. He even appreciated the fast action that the local government had made in dealing with events that caused polemics in this community.

"I appreciate the fast action of the local government towards those who are proven to have committed violations," he said.

Furthermore, I ask the Regional Government in accordance with the applicable mechanism to immediately impose strict sanctions for disciplinary violations for all parties proven to be involved, including the possibility of implementing a release from office so that this problem becomes our common learning in the future, "added Nadiem.

Previously reported, regarding the forced use of the headscarf at SMKN 2 Padang started from uploading a video on Elianu Hia's Facebook account. He, who claims to be the student's father, explained that they are non-Muslims, so they feel uncomfortable wearing the hijab.

It's just that, the school is determined to carry out these obligations because it is a school policy.

This caused criticism from many parties. Then, the West Sumatra Education Office then clarified. In the clarification, the principal of SMK Negeri 2 Padang, Rusmadi, officially submitted his apology.

"As the Principal of SMKN 2 Padang, I would like to apologize for all the mistakes of the staff in the field of student affairs and counseling in applying the rules and dress code for students," said Rusmadi in a press conference on Friday, January 22 evening.