NursingStudent'sRequest[8] -(Thereplyletter18 sept'09)
0 likes389 views
1. The letter is a request for exemption from a nursing student's uniform policy at Ngee Ann Polytechnic regarding wearing of a headscarf for religious reasons. 2. The director had previously denied the request without consideration of religious grounds. Insisting on enforcing the rule without a valid reason is seen as religious discrimination and compelling the student to sin. 3. The letter protests that denying the student from clinical placement and progression in the program for refusing to remove her headscarf amounts to intimidation and discrimination. It requests reconsideration of her exemption before her upcoming clinical attachment.
NursingStudent'sRequest[8] -(Thereplyletter18 sept'09)
- 1. 18 September, 2009 Dr. Phang Chiew Hun, Director of Health Sciences, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, 535 Clementi Road, Singapore 599489. RE: REQUEST FOR EXEMPTION REGARDING UNIFORM Dear Dr. / Madam, 1. I refer you letter dated 17 August 2009. 2. It would appear that you have totally ignored our appeal to even consider our grounds for requesting to practice an important aspect of our religion regarding this matter of modesty and dressing. 3. Your reiterating ad nauseam that nursing students need to keep to the stipulated hospital uniform dress code which does not allow the wearing of headscarf does not provide us with any understanding of the rationale, nor a valid reason, as to why its conformity is so important that even a Muslim lady must contravene her own religious obligation. To insist that the reason for the rule is because it is already a rule, as though it is sufficient grounds for one to contravene against her own religious obligation, is an insult to our intelligence. 4. We must, once again, put on record that your insistence to have a Muslim lady to expose her head in public, without a valid reason, is in fact compelling her to sin as it is against her religion. So, when as you stated that, your staff would then disallow her if she do not go against her religion (because this is what it tantamount to) from sitting for the Nursing Skills Practical Test. As a result she would not pass the Nursing and Clinical Attachment modules and would not be able to progress to the next level and complete the Diploma in Health Sciences (Nursing), we must register our strongest protest to this intimidation, and once again put to you that this would be regarded as a religious discrimination. 5. It is indeed regretful that religious tolerance it seems, has no place in your esteem institution, when you insist in upholding a rule which do not have any practical utility nor medically important, over a religious imperative and a basic human right for her to practice her religion. It is not that my daughter refuses to sit for the test, nor does she lacks in enthusiasm and earnestness in pursuing her course study (which her 1
- 2. results in other aspects of her test would indicate). It is only because of this issue of her not wanting to contravene a serious religious commandment that your department would go to the extent of totally negating her any opportunity to pursue her study, and the possibility of serving in this noble profession. 6. Just because discrimination is being tolerated even by those being discriminated against, it is still discrimination. Discrimination is to be evaluated on the merit of the case, not on the basis of how many people condone it. 7. We hope that you would reconsider the matter, as she has been scheduled to go for the Clinical attachment for Level 1.1. Thank you Sincerely yours, 悵悋 忰悋悴 悋愕惺 Zhulkeflee Bin Haji Ismail Apt. Block 716, #04-4504 Bedok Reservoir Road, Singapore 470716. cc. Principal, Director/Academic Affairs, Ms Siti Muslehat, Madam Sarathambal, Ms Lam, Ngee Ann Polytechnic 535 Clementi Road, Singapore 599489. Chief Nursing Officer, Ministry of Health College of Medicine Building 16 College Road, Singapore 169854 2
- 3. Deputy Director/Higher Education Division, Ministry of Education, Singapore 1 North Buona Vista Drive Singapore 138675 Secretary, PERGAS Singapore Islamic Scholars and Religious Teachers Association, Wisma Indah, 448, #03-01 Changi Road, Singapore 419975 3