Wearing Hijab in Kazakhstan's Schools Is Banned - Education Ministry

-- School girls in Kazakhstan are not allowed to wear hijabs, Education and Science Minister Zhanseit Tuimebayev has said.

"In a democratic and secular state the hijab stresses that the person wearing it belongs to a certain faith which is incompatible with the objectives of secondary school. Therefore wearing clothes stressing a student's belonging to a certain religion is prohibited and a single school uniform is recommended," he stated in reply to a question from a visitor to his blog.
Earlier Justice Minister Rashid Tusupbekov in reply to a similar question from a visitor to his blog said that the law of Kazakhstan does not restrict the use of hijabs in educational institutions.
Last May a conflict broke out in a secondary school in Taraz between a pupil of the eighth grade and the administration because the girl wanted to attend classes wearing the hijab. In that case the school administration was strongly opposed to the hijab arguing that students are to observe the school charter which defines the rules of conduct of the pupils, including what they wear. The city education department supported the stance of the school administration.


Source: Interfax