New Delhi

The Kazakh government has imposed a ban on hijab headscarves for students and teachers in schools. The decision, according to officials, stems from the need to preserve secularism.

 

Unhappy with the ban, some girls are dropping out of school in protest.

 

A news report put out by German news service, Deuthsche Welle said that the Kazakh government's recent announcement of a ban on wearing the hijab headscarf in educational institutions has trigerred a fierce debate in the country.

 

"Requirements for the school uniform prohibit the wearing of the hijab, since any attribute, symbol, element in one way or another implies propaganda of the dogma to which they relate. Ensuring the equality of all religions before the law, the principles of secularism do not allow the advantage of any religion,” reads the statement on the "For citizens” section of the Kazakh government's website, dated October 16.

 

The statement also bans the hijab for school teachers. However, it emphasizes that the ban does not apply outside of schools.

 

The report sid that almost 70% of Kazakhstan's population practices Islam. But both supporters and opponents of the ban quickly came forward. Proponents stressed that Kazakhstan was a secular country and should therefore avoid privileging any particular religion. Opponents however believe that such restrictions violate the principles of freedom of conscience, and some have taken extreme measures to protest the ban.

 

Kazakh Education Minister Gani Beisembayev confirmed that in the Atyrau region alone, 150 girls have dropped out of school since the beginning of September because of the ban. And in the Turkestan region, two men reportedly beat a local school director because she refused to allow girls wearing hijabs to attend classes.

 

The Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan has proposed a solution.

 

The Supreme Mufti of Kazakhstan, Nauryzbay Kazhy Taganuly, said that girls who want to wear a hijab should be taught in a madrasa, or Muslim educational institution, from the 10th grade onward. "Such a possibility exists. Religious and secular subjects are taught there in accordance with the Ministry of Education's standard for higher education," the Grand Mufti said. So far the authorities have not objected to this suggestion, though the ban on wearing the hijab applies to all educational institutions in Kazakhstan without exception.