The Ministry of Education has condemned the shockingly bigoted outburst by Ben Padarath against a Fijian student on the basis of their religious practice and preference after Padarath posted a photo of the Head Boy of a Muslim high school and questioned why is the boy allowed to grow a beard while boys in all other schools throughout Fiji are made to be clean shaven daily.
Padarath also questioned Minister Rosy Akbar why the separate set of rules.
Akbar says the student in question deserves an unconditional apology for having his religious preferences dragged into the national spotlight by an individual with zero knowledge of Ministry policy and no regard for the values of tolerance and respect.
She says there is a vicious strain of religious prejudice in this country.
Akbar says we must address it and defeat it wherever it rears its ugly head.
The Education Minister says she wants this young man, and every student in Fiji, to know that the Ministry will always defend them and their constitutional rights against anyone seeking to use ethnicity, religion, gender, disability or any of the differences that exist among Fijians as tools for division.
Akbar also calls on all leaders in our communities, members of civil society, NGOs, and parliamentarians, including those tagged in the hateful Facebook post, to join the Ministry in condemning this latest offence in a nasty pre-election tradition of pitting Fijians against Fijians.
She calls to help the Ministry send a clear message that young and vulnerable Fijians should never be subject to the politics of division.
The Education Ministry says Padarath's claims are beyond insensitive, totally incorrect, and an affront to the right of freedom of religion enshrined in the Fijian Constitution.
It says the Ministry’s policy is in line with the Fijian Constitution to allow schools to cater for student’s religious, and cultural practices.
The Ministry says many schools in Fiji observe religious festivals such as Holi, Diwali, Easter and Christmas, and allow for attire specific to these celebrations to be worn by students, schools managed by faith-based organisations offer religious instruction and often engrain religious and cultural principles and practices within their educational offerings and students of different faiths can openly practice their religious traditions.
The Education Ministry says Hindu students may attend classes with the Tilak marked on their foreheads and Catholic students may mark their foreheads in ash with the cross to celebrate Ash Wednesday.
It says other schools allow for the wearing of scarves, turbans, sulus, appropriate religious apparel, such as crucifixes or rosaries, and permit students to maintain different hairstyles, including buiniga, moustaches or beards so long as they are appropriately maintained according to specific school’s standards.
The Ministry says to imply that any of these policies are selectively enforced is baseless and an ignorant incitement for ugly forces of ethnic, religious and cultural intolerance.
Akbar confirms that the Ministry has filed a report with the Fiji Police Force and the Cyber Crime Unit for investigation.
Police spokesperson, Ana Naisoro confirms that CID is investigating the Ministry's report regarding Ben Padarath.
Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations
