Hijab Allowed in Turkey Islamic Schools
Turkey has lifted a decades-long ban on wearing hijab in Islamic schools, to the outcry of secularists who see the move as new evidence on government efforts to “Islamize” the country.
"Let's allow everyone to dress their child as they wish, according to their means," Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a conference in Madrid on Tuesday, November 27.
"These are all steps taken as a result of a demand."
Under the change, students at Islamic schools, known as Imam Hatip, will be allowed to wear hijab.
Pupils at regular schools will also be able to wear headscarves in Qur’an lessons.
The change will go into effect from the 2013-2014 academic year.
Hijab, an obligatory code of dress, has been banned in public buildings, universities, schools and government buildings in Muslim-majority Turkey since shortly after a 1980 military coup.
Turkey’s secular elite, including army generals, judges and university rectors, staunchly oppose easing the hijab ban.
In 2008, Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AK) passed a constitutional change easing restrictions on hijab at university.
The new reform followed a law approved in March allowing imam hatip schools to take children from the age of 11 instead of 15.
Imam Hatip schools, from which Erdogan himself graduated, are currently attended by about 240,000 of the roughly four million high school students in Turkey.
Source: onIslam.net
"These are all steps taken as a result of a demand."
Under the change, students at Islamic schools, known as Imam Hatip, will be allowed to wear hijab.
Pupils at regular schools will also be able to wear headscarves in Qur’an lessons.
The change will go into effect from the 2013-2014 academic year.
Hijab, an obligatory code of dress, has been banned in public buildings, universities, schools and government buildings in Muslim-majority Turkey since shortly after a 1980 military coup.
Turkey’s secular elite, including army generals, judges and university rectors, staunchly oppose easing the hijab ban.
In 2008, Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AK) passed a constitutional change easing restrictions on hijab at university.
The new reform followed a law approved in March allowing imam hatip schools to take children from the age of 11 instead of 15.
Imam Hatip schools, from which Erdogan himself graduated, are currently attended by about 240,000 of the roughly four million high school students in Turkey.
Source: onIslam.net
