France to ban women from wearing Islamic abaya dresses in schools, read to know why

Students in France will no longer be permitted to wear the abaya, a loose and modest garment mostly worn by Muslims in regions like North Africa and the Middle East. Making the announcement on Sunday, French Education Minister Gabriel Attal justified that the contentious move aims to shift focus from religion to education in schools.

“The school of the Republic was built around strong values, secularism is one of them. … When you enter a classroom, you shouldn’t be able to identify the religion of pupils,” Attal told French TV channel TF1. “I announce that [pupils] will no longer be able to wear abaya at school,” he added. 

The minister, who assumed the position in July, said that he would hold talks in the coming weeks before releasing new “clear nationwide rules” for educational institutions across the country, Politico reported. The move comes as France observes a spike in schoolgoers wearing the abaya. 

Meanwhile, President of the National Assembly Yaël Braun-Pivet called for “a totally secular state school” where there is “no ramadan, no abaya, no ostentatious religious signs.” However, this isn't the first time that France has outlawed religious clothing and symbols in schools.

France's religious tensions

In 2004, France banned traditional headscarves, Jewish kippahs, and big crosses. This time, the abaya will be banned through school guidelines, instead of a legislation. In recent years, the country has witnessed religious tensions worsen. Just three years ago, a Chechen refugee killed a French educator who had displayed caricatures of the prophet Mohammad during class lessons.

France's religious conflicts date all the way back to the 19th century, when laws stripped  traditional Catholic influence from public education. Since then, the nation has had trouble in adapting and dealing with a growing Muslim minority. Defending secularism continues to be a big fight in France across its political landscape.