Nafisah’s attorneys to write AG

IS Lakshmi Girls Hindu College a public school funded by taxpayers? This is the question attorneys for mechanical engineer Nafisah Nakhid, 23, want the Ministry of Education to answer as they prepare to take the school and the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha to court over Nakhid being banned from teaching due to her hijab.

Nakhid met yesterday in a closed-door session to apprise her attorneys headed by Fyard Hosein, SC, and Farid Scoon on exactly what transpired last Monday when she went to Lakshmi Girls College in St Augustine, to take up a post facilitated by the Ministry of Labour’s On-the-Job-Training programme. She was told that due to her wearing the hijab, she would not be able to assume duties because the Islamic wear was not in conformity with the Maha Sabha’s dress code.

Nakhid left the school compound and posted an account of what transpired on her facebook page.

Nakhid confirmed her meeting with her attorneys to Newsday, but declined to reveal what matters were discussed. She is a graduate mechanical engineer from the University of the West Indies.

Attorney Scoon said he could not divulge client information, except that a decision had been taken following Nakhid’s account to them of what transpired, to write to the Ministry of Education.

He said that attorneys would be asking the Ministry of Education the extent Lakshmi Girls is funded by the government. The letters are to be copied to the school’s board which is the Maha Sabha and the Attorney General. Scoon also disclosed that a Freedom of Information Act application will be filed this week, seeking information on the level of government funding for the school. The reason for such information is to determine whether the school falls in the realm of a public institution funded by the taxpayers.

Any High Court action under the constitutional right to freedom of religious expression, will be based on the extent to which the school is a public or private institution.