Oslo // The Norwegian government on Monday proposed a bill to ban the niqab in all schools, from nurseries to universities, saying it hinders communication between students and teachers.
Norway’s ruling coalition of conservative and anti-immigration right-wing parties had promised the ban last year, targeting the Islamic full-face veil as well as burqas, balaclavas and masks.
“We do not want clothes covering the face in nurseries, schools and universities,” said Torbjorn Roe Isaksen, the minister of education and research.
“These clothes prevent good communication, which is important for students to receive a good education,” he added.
Per Sandberg, the interim minister of immigration and integration, said: “Clothes covering the face, like the niqab and the burqa, have no place in Norwegian schools. It is a fundamental value to be able to communicate with each other.”
Authorities plan to hold consultations with those who could be affected by the draft law.
At this stage, the bill does not lay out consequences for disregarding the law.
Norwegian media said the government could count on the support of most parties, and the bill was expected to pass in the spring of next year.
Local authorities in Norway already have the power to ban the veil in schools, however there is no uniform national policy.
The full-face veil is rather uncommon in Norway, even more so in schools, but the issue comes up intermittently in political debates.
The Islamic Council, an umbrella organisation representing Muslims, hired a communication manager who wore the niqab, which sparked a heated discussion earlier this year.
Norway will hold legislative elections on September 11.
* Agence France-Presse
