France to ban female students from wearing abayas in state schools
France to ban female students from wearing abayas in state schools
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The education minister says female Muslim students will not be allowed to wear the loose-fitting robe.
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Pupils will be banned from wearing abayas, loose-fitting full-length robes worn by some Muslim women, in France's state-run schools, the education minister has said.
The rule will be applied as soon as the new school year starts on 4 September.
France has a strict ban on religious signs in state schools and government buildings, arguing that they violate secular laws.
Wearing a headscarf has been banned since 2004 in state-run schools.