Niqabi student was not discriminated against: education officials
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Following social media outcry, education officials were forced to deny claims on Monday that a top student dressed in a full-face veil was discriminated against during a graduation ceremony.
Zainab Niyaz Mustafah, 18, is a recent graduate of the Islamic Secondary School in Kalar, who secured the second highest grade in humanities in her year group.
She wears the Niqab – a traditional Islamic veil that completely covers the face and body.
The Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Education held a ceremony on Sunday, addressed by Education Minister Pishtiwan Sadiq, to honor the new graduates.
A video obtained by Rudaw shows Zainab standing in the front row of students for a photo opportunity. However, moments later, she is asked to stand at the back.
Social media users claim the education minister is shown in the video asking an employee to move Zainab.
They branded the move Islamophobic.
The Kurdistan Students’ Union, which is affiliated to the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), denounced the incident on Sunday.
“Despite many shortcomings and clumsiness in the procession of the event, a graduate female student was dealt with in an inappropriate manner,” the union said in a statement on Facebook.
The behavior is a violation of “individual freedom” and runs against the values of co-existence in the Kurdistan Region, it added.
Zainab told Rudaw on Monday she was asked to stand at the back to make way for shorter students. She says she does not hold a grudge over what happened and regrets the controversy it has caused.
“Much has been said about me and what happened during the announcing of the results was regretful, but I don’t want any problems to be there over me,” she told Rudaw.
Responding to the union’s social media campaign on Monday, the ministry said the claims were fabricated.
“We clarify to everyone that pushing the student back is in no way related to her Niqab. Rather, it was due to organizing the rows of the first, second, and third [highest grade earners] on the level of the Region,” the Education Ministry said.
“This propaganda is an effort to hide the success of this year’s examinations process,” it said, vowing to take legal action against those slandering the ministry.
Speaking to Rudaw TV on Monday night, Sadiq said the allegation is “completely unfounded”.
The places of more than 15 students were changed because the reading order of the names made the taller people come to the fore while the shorter students were at the back, he explained.
“This has got nothing to do with me. The committee organizes it. I didn’t interfere,” he insisted.
Zainab Niyaz Mustafah, 18, is a recent graduate of the Islamic Secondary School in Kalar, who secured the second highest grade in humanities in her year group.
She wears the Niqab – a traditional Islamic veil that completely covers the face and body.
The Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Education held a ceremony on Sunday, addressed by Education Minister Pishtiwan Sadiq, to honor the new graduates.
A video obtained by Rudaw shows Zainab standing in the front row of students for a photo opportunity. However, moments later, she is asked to stand at the back.
Social media users claim the education minister is shown in the video asking an employee to move Zainab.
They branded the move Islamophobic.
Disgraceful! Top female student in KRG gets humiliated by Education Minister in public because of wearing niqab
— Don Nawzar (@DNawzar) June 23, 2019
According to videos that have caused huge outrage on social media, KRG Education Minister directs an aide to go and remove the niqabi student from front row pic.twitter.com/JctstfGD9d
The Kurdistan Students’ Union, which is affiliated to the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), denounced the incident on Sunday.
“Despite many shortcomings and clumsiness in the procession of the event, a graduate female student was dealt with in an inappropriate manner,” the union said in a statement on Facebook.
The behavior is a violation of “individual freedom” and runs against the values of co-existence in the Kurdistan Region, it added.
Zainab told Rudaw on Monday she was asked to stand at the back to make way for shorter students. She says she does not hold a grudge over what happened and regrets the controversy it has caused.
“Much has been said about me and what happened during the announcing of the results was regretful, but I don’t want any problems to be there over me,” she told Rudaw.
Responding to the union’s social media campaign on Monday, the ministry said the claims were fabricated.
“We clarify to everyone that pushing the student back is in no way related to her Niqab. Rather, it was due to organizing the rows of the first, second, and third [highest grade earners] on the level of the Region,” the Education Ministry said.
“This propaganda is an effort to hide the success of this year’s examinations process,” it said, vowing to take legal action against those slandering the ministry.
Speaking to Rudaw TV on Monday night, Sadiq said the allegation is “completely unfounded”.
The places of more than 15 students were changed because the reading order of the names made the taller people come to the fore while the shorter students were at the back, he explained.
“This has got nothing to do with me. The committee organizes it. I didn’t interfere,” he insisted.