A Sri Lankan Muslim girl prays in capital Colombo. There's been a rise in anti-Muslim rhetoric, exacerbated by the Easter Sunday bombings in 2019, which is blamed on Islamic terror groups. (Photo: AFP)
Rights activists have criticized the Sri Lankan government for withholding the results of Muslim students who appeared for an advanced-level exam wearing a hijab or headscarf.
The results of 70 Muslim students from Zahira College in the port city of Trincomalee are withheld due to the alleged violation of rules requiring uncovered ears to prevent the use of modern communication devices like Bluetooth during the examinations.
The advanced-level school examinations, also known as A-Levels, are the deciding factor for Sri Lankan students' entry into universities for higher studies.
“All these poor students are now at the risk of being denied a chance to enter a university for higher studies,” said Surin Prabath, an activist with Inter-Religious Harmony based in Trincomalee on the northeastern coast of the island nation.
The authorities could have “easily resolved such issues,” noted Prabath who earlier dealt with a similar situation involving government teachers who faced harassment for wearing the abaya (long women's clothing).
Following their complaints, the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka ruled against banning the abaya.
Prabath noted that the students of Zahira College chose to wear loose, transparent white shawls over their heads rather than a tight-fitted hijab to comply with the exam rules.
There's been a rise in anti-Muslim rhetoric, exacerbated by the Easter Sunday bombings in 2019, which is blamed on Islamic terror groups, observed Prabath.
Extremist Buddhist groups have been targeting businesses and homes owned by Muslims from 2014 to 2019.
In recent years, Sri Lanka has implemented discriminatory regulations targeting its Muslim minority.
New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) has asked the government not to target students based on their religion or gender.
“Rigorous searches of all candidates entering the exam room are already in effect in Sri Lanka,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, HRW's deputy Asia director, on June 26.
Minister of Education Susil Premajayantha told the parliament that the results of Zahira College students will be promptly issued.
Shreen Saroor, a prominent Muslim human rights defender, said penalizing the girls for wearing a headscarf was part of anti-Muslim rhetoric.
"It is systematic and it penalizes Muslim girls systematically.”
Muslim girls rarely appear for advanced-level examinations. "But when they do, they should not face barriers," she said.
Praboda, a university student who goes by a single name, said that 13 Muslim students had their results withheld for wearing
There were reports of Muslim girls facing a similar challenge during a teachers' recruitment exam in the capital Colombo in 2023.
