The government of Egypt has announced a ban on female students wearing the niqab, or face veil, in schools. This new rule will come into effect starting from the upcoming academic term on September 30. According to reports, Reda Hegazy, the Egyptian Minister of Education, issued guidelines on school uniforms on September 11. The guidelines state that while female students are allowed to wear a hair cover, it should not cover their faces. The guidelines emphasized that wearing a hair cover is optional and should be chosen willingly by the female student, without obscuring her face.
The Minister further stated that guardians must be informed of their daughter’s decision to wear a hair cover and allow her to make this choice without any pressure or coercion. To ensure this, the Egyptian Ministry of Education has instructed educational directorates to obtain confirmation from guardians, ensuring they are fully aware of their daughter’s decision.
In addition to the niqab ban, the guidelines also mentioned that the school board will collaborate with the board of trustees, parents, and teachers to decide on the uniform color for all students. The guidelines suggested that the apron could be replaced with a shirt and skirt of appropriate length for girls, and a shirt and trousers for boys, as per a report in the state-run Al-Ahram newspaper.
The niqab is a garment worn by some Muslim women to cover their faces, except for their eyes. Some higher education institutions in Egypt have already implemented bans on wearing the face veil, with the aim to address communication issues between students and educators.
In 2015, Cairo University in Egypt banned the wearing of face veils by female staff. This decision was made in response to complaints from students about communication difficulties in classes. However, this ban sparked criticism from those who viewed it as religious discrimination. Gaber Nassar, the former head of Cairo University, argued that the niqab posed significant challenges in language courses as it hindered student-teacher communication.
Cairo University had previously attempted to ban the niqab in 2009, but the ban was later overturned by a Cairo court. The court ruled that the ban applied to the entire university and was therefore deemed unconstitutional. However, in 2020, Egypt’s High Administrative Court ruled in favor of the ban, stating that individual freedom of attire should not contradict “public morals.”
Following Cairo University’s ban, other local educational institutions such as Ain Shams University and Fayoum University also implemented rules prohibiting female professors from wearing the niqab in classes.
The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) has raised concerns about the ban, arguing that it may infringe upon the country’s international legal obligations regarding the right to manifest one’s religion or belief. They emphasize the importance of preserving personal freedoms without derogations or limitations that infringe on their essence. EIPR researcher Ishak Ibrahim has warned that giving the state excessive authority over determining suitable clothing may open the door to further restrictions on attire and women’s bodies.
Overall, the ban on the niqab in Egyptian schools reflects an ongoing debate surrounding religious expression and public norms in the country.