E-Paper
NSW schools lift ban on ‘kirpan’, SGPC hails move
The authorities in NSW had banned kirpan in schools after a 16-year-old student was stabbed in the back and stomach after a fight broke out at Glenwood High School in May
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has hailed the decision to allow Sikh students wear “kirpan” to schools in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW).
The authorities in NSW had banned kirpan in schools after a 16-year-old student was stabbed in the back and stomach after a fight broke out at Glenwood High School in May.
SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur said the ban was opposed by the Sikh community, including the SGPC. She said that “kakars” (five Sikh articles of faith) are an important and integral part of the lives of baptised Sikhs and the ban on wearing kirpan was intolerable.
She said that Sikh leaders and gurdwara committees in Australia were in constant touch with the education department of NSW to resolve the issue. “It is a matter of great pleasure that the education department has allowed Sikh students to wear kirpan in schools.
According to new guidelines, the “kirpan” being carried must not be bigger than 8.5 centimetres, with no sharp edges or points, it must be worn under clothing and removed during sports. Besides, any safety concerns must be discussed with the student and their parents or carers.
