Students, below the age of eight, have been stopped from wearing hijabs and fasting during Ramadan.
Female students of a primary school in Britain have been banned from wearing hijabs.
Daily Mail reports that this new rule by St Stephen’s primary school affects only girls under eight.
The school has also stopped these young pupils from fasting during the school day when they have to take their exams during Ramadan.
The chairman of governors at St Stephen’s, Arif Qawi said: “We did not ban fasting altogether but we encouraged them [children] to fast in holidays, at weekends and not on the school campus.
“It is unfair to teachers and very unfair to governors. We are unpaid. Why should we get the backlash?
“Here we are responsible for their health and safety if they pass out on campus. It is not fair to us.”
He also said that he had spoken with Muslim clerics who recommended that boys should fast from puberty.
The chairman added that most of the parents were happy with the school’s stance on fasting.
Qawi called on the government to follow suit and to the Department for Education to ‘step up and take it out of our hands’.
Reactions to Hijab Ban
This ban has got major support from the headmistress of St Stephen’s, Neena Lall.
She says she is backing this change because it will help pupils feel more integrated into the school.
Amina Lone of the Social Action and Research Foundation has started a campaign.
She is trying to ensure that young Muslim girls do not to have to wear the hijab in primary schools.
The Department of Education has also weighed in saying: “It is a matter for individual schools to decide how to accommodate children observing Ramadan, and to set uniform policies. We issue clear guidance on uniform and to help schools understand their legal duties under the Equality Act.”
Meanwhile, a survey has shown that the hijab is listed as part of the uniform for children aged four to eleven in at least 20% of Britain schools.
This survey was carried out in 800 primary schools.
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