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Education: Egyptian court revokes ban on niqabs

Egypt’s Supreme Administrative Court has overturned a ban on women students wearing the niqab during exams. The ruling, which came on 20 January as mid-term university exams were underway, said that the ban on wearing the niqab infringes women’s constitutional rights. However it also stipulated that women must removed the face covering if asked to do so for security reasons.

Rectors at various universities in Cairo, supported by the ministry of education, had brought in regulations against wearing the face veil during exams in October 2009 on the grounds that it encouraged cheating. Their actions were subsequently upheld early in January by a Cairo administrative court, one of five regionally-based courts.

The latest ruling comes from the highest administrative court, a part of the Council of State. The Council of State, which only agreed to employ women law graduates in September 2009, has jurisdiction over contracts and regulations issued by government official and ministers.

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