Schools in England will be able to ban female Muslim students from wearing full-face veil, or Niqab, under new uniform guidelines to be published on Tuesday, officials said.
The guidance paper from the Department for Education and Skills (DFES) allows school head teachers to determine what pupils should and shouldn’t wear in class, a DEFS spokesman said.
Although the guidance paper states that efforts must be made to accommodate religious clothing, it stresses the importance of teachers and students being able to make eye contact.
"They should have regard to a range of religions and try to accommodate them where possible," the spokesman said. "But what we are saying in the guidance is that safety, security and the ability to learn is paramount."
The uniform guidelines come after a British Muslim girl, aged 12, lost a legal battle to be allowed to wear the full-face veil in school.
Correspondents say Shabina Begum's case has prompted the updated guidance.
Begum’s lawyers had argued that the veil ban violated her right to freedom of “thought, conscience and religion” under Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights. But her school said the veil made communication between teachers and pupils difficult and thus hampered learning.
This position was upheld by the High Court, which refused to grant a judicial review, and is expected to form a key part of the new uniform guidance, which states that schools need to be able to identify individual pupils in order to maintain good order and spot intruders.
"If a pupil's face is obscured for any reason the teacher may not be able to judge their engagement with learning or secure their participation in discussions and practical activities," it adds.
The DEFS says it isn’t ordering head teachers to ban the Niqab, but confirming that they have the authority to do so if the wish. It also says schools should consult with parents, governors and the local community on uniform policy before making any decisions.
The guidance also reiterates the right of schools to discipline pupils for not wearing the proper uniform.
“Shocking”
The Islamic Human Rights Commission described the new guidance as "shocking".
"Successive ministers dealing with education issues have failed to give proper guidance when requested by human rights campaigners about schools' obligations regarding religious dress, including the head scarf,” said chairman of the Islamic Human Rights Commission Massoud Shadjareh.
“To now proceed to issue guidance against Muslim communities is simply shocking," he added.
The Muslim Council of Britain has already urged schools to take into account Muslim pupils' needs to dress modestly and avoid tight-fitting or transparent garments.
Ayshah Ishmael, a teacher at a Muslim girls' school in Preston who wears the Niqab away from the classroom, told the BBC that wearing the veil promoted equality.
"You're judged for who you are and not what you are, so I think there are two arguments to the whole equality issue,” she said.
The Niqab has been a hot political debate in the UK since senior minister Jack Straw said last October that the veil makes community relations "more difficult."
British Prime Minister Tony Blair joined the debate by describing the Niqab as a “mark of separation”, and saying that veiled women make others feel “uncomfortable”.
The remarks prompted some Muslim groups to accuse the government of creating an atmosphere of Islamophobia.
Trevor Phillips, the head of Britain's race relations watchdog, the Commission for Racial Equality, warned at the time that the debate was growing ugly and could trigger riots.
He said Britons were becoming increasingly polarized along racial and religious lines, and risk fueling unrest if they don't discuss their differences respectfully.
-- AJP and Agencies
The guidance paper from the Department for Education and Skills (DFES) allows school head teachers to determine what pupils should and shouldn’t wear in class, a DEFS spokesman said.
Although the guidance paper states that efforts must be made to accommodate religious clothing, it stresses the importance of teachers and students being able to make eye contact.
"They should have regard to a range of religions and try to accommodate them where possible," the spokesman said. "But what we are saying in the guidance is that safety, security and the ability to learn is paramount."
The uniform guidelines come after a British Muslim girl, aged 12, lost a legal battle to be allowed to wear the full-face veil in school.
Correspondents say Shabina Begum's case has prompted the updated guidance.
Begum’s lawyers had argued that the veil ban violated her right to freedom of “thought, conscience and religion” under Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights. But her school said the veil made communication between teachers and pupils difficult and thus hampered learning.
This position was upheld by the High Court, which refused to grant a judicial review, and is expected to form a key part of the new uniform guidance, which states that schools need to be able to identify individual pupils in order to maintain good order and spot intruders.
"If a pupil's face is obscured for any reason the teacher may not be able to judge their engagement with learning or secure their participation in discussions and practical activities," it adds.
The DEFS says it isn’t ordering head teachers to ban the Niqab, but confirming that they have the authority to do so if the wish. It also says schools should consult with parents, governors and the local community on uniform policy before making any decisions.
The guidance also reiterates the right of schools to discipline pupils for not wearing the proper uniform.
“Shocking”
The Islamic Human Rights Commission described the new guidance as "shocking".
"Successive ministers dealing with education issues have failed to give proper guidance when requested by human rights campaigners about schools' obligations regarding religious dress, including the head scarf,” said chairman of the Islamic Human Rights Commission Massoud Shadjareh.
“To now proceed to issue guidance against Muslim communities is simply shocking," he added.
The Muslim Council of Britain has already urged schools to take into account Muslim pupils' needs to dress modestly and avoid tight-fitting or transparent garments.
Ayshah Ishmael, a teacher at a Muslim girls' school in Preston who wears the Niqab away from the classroom, told the BBC that wearing the veil promoted equality.
"You're judged for who you are and not what you are, so I think there are two arguments to the whole equality issue,” she said.
The Niqab has been a hot political debate in the UK since senior minister Jack Straw said last October that the veil makes community relations "more difficult."
British Prime Minister Tony Blair joined the debate by describing the Niqab as a “mark of separation”, and saying that veiled women make others feel “uncomfortable”.
The remarks prompted some Muslim groups to accuse the government of creating an atmosphere of Islamophobia.
Trevor Phillips, the head of Britain's race relations watchdog, the Commission for Racial Equality, warned at the time that the debate was growing ugly and could trigger riots.
He said Britons were becoming increasingly polarized along racial and religious lines, and risk fueling unrest if they don't discuss their differences respectfully.
-- AJP and Agencies
