The French government has announced that abayas, the loose-fitting full-length gowns worn by some Muslim women, will be prohibited at state-run schools.
This is the first big announcement made by new Education Minister Gabriel Attal in advance of the start of the school year.
“I have decided that the abaya could no longer be worn in schools,” France’s Education Minister Gabriel Attal said.
“When you walk into a classroom, you shouldn’t be able to identify the pupils’ religion just by looking at them.
Attal claimed that the outfit breached France’s rigorous secular education rules.
Attal also stated that he would provide “clear rules at the national level” to school principals ahead of the resumption to school on September 4, 2023.
The statement is Attal’s first big move since being promoted this summer to oversee the highly contentious education sector.
Religious signage are strictly prohibited in state schools and government buildings in France, stating that they contravene secular rules.
