- Egyptian government bans the niqab in schools starting from the next academic term on September 30th, allowing head coverings without face concealment.
- Various public and private institutions, including Cairo University, have already enforced bans on face veils among teaching staff.
The Egyptian government have prohibited the niqab (face veil) within educational institutions, effective as of the forthcoming academic term commencing on the 30th of September. Considering that Egypt is a predominantly Muslim nation, this ruling has evoked profound dismay among many Egyptians and Muslims globally.
Minister of Education, Reda Hegazy, declared this proclamation, emphasizing that students shall retain the prerogative to opt for head coverings, provided they refrain from concealing their faces. He further stipulated that the child’s legal guardian must be cognizant of this election, asserting its volition to be free from external influences.
He said in an official statement, “Here the role of the teachers of the Arabic language, religious education, and social and psychological education, will be to prepare the students psychologically to implement the ministry’s decision with all kindness and gentleness, taking into account the students’ psychological state and their age level.”
The practice of wearing the niqab has long ignited a contentious discourse within Egyptian scholastic circles, despite its centuries-old tradition among Muslim women for religious purposes on a global scale. Advocacy groups have vigorously contended that such a restriction infringes upon religious liberties, asserting that the Egyptian constitution safeguards these freedoms.
It is noteworthy that numerous public and private institutions within Egypt have already enacted prohibitions against the niqab. Notably, Cairo University initiated a prohibition on the donning of face veils by its teaching faculty in 2015, a ruling that was subsequently validated by an Egyptian court in the year 2020.
