Read the English transcript of the interview in Urdu language here
A Melbourne woman is demanding an apology from a local education institute after claiming she was denied admission because she refused to allow her photo to be published along with her test results.
Ms Seema* didn’t want her photograph to be posted on the Facebook page of Emdad’s PTE (named Emdad's PTE & IELTS on Facebook) due to her Muslim beliefs, which she says is the reason for the denial.
The institute provides English language training classes for PTE and IELTS - English language qualifications that one has to obtain in order to either get an admission in a university or any other education institution as well as to obtain various types of Australian Visas.
Ms Seema had sought to enrol in the Springvale branch for a course that was offered on a discounted rate.
Emdad's PTE has seven branches in the country, and has an active Facebook page with more than 55,000 likes.
"The staff told me that they would post my test results on their Facebook page along with my photograph to ‘add credibility’," Ms Seema told SBS Urdu.
"As per my religious beliefs, I always cover my face and do not post my pictures on social media, and I advised the same to the staff."
"As per my religious beliefs, I always cover my face and do not post my pictures on social media, and I advised the same to the staff."
Ms Seema claims the staff informed her that it was the centre's policy to post the test results on their Facebook page, and she wouldn’t get admission if she didn’t agree to the policy.
Given the circumstances, she decided not to enrol.
Ironically, a look at Emdad’s PTE Facebook page showed some of the test results without the candidate's photograph.
Ms Seema later expressed her frustration by sending messages on Emdad’s PTE’s Facebook page.
She received a reply from the centre’s Director Mr Emdadur Rahman, who acknowledged the situation and termed it a ‘misunderstanding’.
“I’m sorry you’ve had to experience this from us. Unfortunately, our staff at Springvale misunderstood it. If it’s for hijab, we are NOT strict about posting the photograph,” he replied.
"No one is going to apologise further. You agree with our conditions, you study. Otherwise, you don’t. As simple as that"
Mr Rahman also offered to enrol Ms Seema in the same course on the discounted rate offered earlier but she decided against accepting it.
"I couldn’t go back to them after what happened. I felt so insecure and discriminated that I couldn’t even imagine studying at that centre," Ms Seema said.
Mr Rahman, who is also a Muslim by faith, later called her to apologise, but she demanded a written apology.
I couldn’t go back to them after what happened. I felt so insecure and discriminated that I couldn’t even imagine studying at that centre
"It’s not even about religion; it’s my personal freedom in a country like Australia that gives me the right to restrict someone from using my photograph. And if they are apologising they should do so in writing," she said.
However, Mr Rahman refused to issue a formal written apology.
"You’ve got it all wrong," he wrote.
"I even called you to explain my position. No one is going to apologise further. You agree with our conditions, you study. Otherwise, you don’t. As simple as that."
The response added to Ms Seema’s frustration, prompting her to approach the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission.
"Their overall attitude was very rude and non-professional even after they were willing to apologise," she said.
Their overall attitude was very rude and non-professional even after they were willing to apologise
"I don’t want any other compensation at the moment other than a written apology so it can give confidence to other women who experience similar situation," she said.
The VEOHRC attempts to resolve a dispute through "conciliation" process.
"We encourage people who are involved in dispute to talk through the issues with the help of the Commission, and with the aim of reaching an agreement on how the dispute will be resolved," a VEOHRC spokesperson said.
However, she couldn't confirm or deny receiving a complaint, due to privacy reason.
"If a complaint is deemed legit then the parties involved are approached individually at first to resolve the matter," she explained.
SBS Urdu approached Emdad’s PTE several times but the management declined to comment.
*Seema is a pseudonym used for privacy reasons.
UPDATE
After the story was aired, Mr Rahman posted a detailed response on Emdad's PTE Facebook page, followed by a post in which he apologised to the woman.
"If a simple written apology can satisfy someone, I am happy to do that," the post read.
I am sorry again as you have had to suffer all these because of a mistake on our part, not yours
"I do not hold any grudges against you. Even if you want to study with us with the discounted price that was offered for a limited time, you can still avail that. Finally, I am sorry again as you have had to suffer all these because of a mistake on our part, not yours."
Subsequently, she has withdrawn her complaint.
"I just want to update that they (Emdad's PTE) have publicly apologised for what they did, and I want to withdraw the complaint," she wrote to the commission
