Ban on niqab in classrooms suggested

The Minister of Education, Oystein Djupedal says that the use of niqab and other headdresses that cover the face should not be allowed in classrooms.

He is now encouraging educational institutions at all levels to ban the use of such headdresses in class. However, he does not want to make it a law, and says that each school must handle the situation on an individual basis.

- The use of such headdresses makes proper contact between teacher and student difficult, Djupedal says.

Last week, the dean of the Oslo College of Art, Lars Gule, demanded a ban on niqab at all universities and colleges in Norway, on the same grounds.

The principal of the college, Per Lilleengen, says they now want to consider introducing such a ban.

(NRK)

Rolleiv Solholm

Source: http://www.norwaypost.no/cgi-bin/norwaypost/imaker?id=54203 date: 18.02.2007 06:41