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Schools must not force girls to wear hijab: Ahok
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Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama speaks to journalists at City Hall on April 1. (Kompas.com/Kurnia Sari Aziza)
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chools should not force girls to wear the hijab, Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama reiterated on Wednesday, because the decision to wear the Islamic veil must come from the students themselves.
He conveyed his call to thousands of principals from across Jakarta and officials from the city’s education agency earlier on Saturday, sparking controversy among members of the public, especially during the fasting month of Ramadhan.
"Don't get me wrong, I’m not banning people from wearing the hijab. I told the teachers, if you want to make children wear the hijab, you can't force them. It's better for you to tausiyah [preach] so they can understand," Ahok, a Christian, said on Wednesday.
Wearing the hijab became a major phenomenon in Indonesia after the 1980s. The movement has grown significantly in schools since then.
According to Ahok, it could be seen as an insult to religion if someone wore the hijab simply because of school regulations.
“Therefore, the final decision to wear the hijab lies in the hand of students,” said Ahok.
