The Egyptian government’s recent announcement of a ban on the wearing of face veils in schools has ignited a passionate debate on social media. Critics are vehemently denouncing the move as “tyrannical,” while supporters argue it will primarily impact only an extremist minority.
The decision, unveiled by the Ministry of Education and prominently featured in the state-run newspaper Akhbar al-Youm on Monday, applies to both state-run and independent educational institutions. It explicitly outlaws the niqab, an all-encompassing black garment that conceals all facial features except the eyes and is worn by a small minority of Egyptian women. Notably, the decision does not restrict the hijab, the headscarf worn by a significantly larger number of women.
The choice between wearing the niqab or the hijab is to be made “according to the wishes of the pupil, without pressure or coercion from any party except her legal guardian, who must be informed of the choice,” as outlined in the official decree.
Critics of the government’s directive have taken to social media platforms to express their vehement disapproval, asserting that it constitutes unwarranted intrusion into private matters. A user named Mohammed, writing on X (formerly known as Twitter), stated, “People are angry because the government gave no justification. It’s a tyrannical decision that impinges on people’s private lives.”
In contrast, supporters of the ban contend that it primarily affects an extremist minority. A user referring to themselves as “al-Masri” (the Egyptian) remarked, “Nobody is angry except supporters of the Taliban and the Islamic State group.”
Well-known talk show host Ahmed Moussa, an outspoken advocate of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s anti-Islamist administration, welcomed the ban as a “first significant step towards the destruction of extremism and the correction of an education system that had become the haunt of Muslim Brotherhood terrorist groups.”
President Sisi, who was the Chief of the Army when he ousted democratically elected Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in 2013, subsequently designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a “terrorist organization.” Consequently, hundreds of its members were killed, and tens of thousands were incarcerated.
While some social media posts express support for the ban, others question the government’s priorities. One post astutely inquires, “Is the niqab to blame for overcrowded classrooms, outdated furniture, and the challenges faced by educators?”
This move by the Egyptian government has drawn comparisons to Cairo University’s decision in 2015 to prohibit its teachers from wearing the niqab—a decision upheld by an administrative court in 2020.
Source AFP
