Wearing of the Hijab in Irish Schools
Date: 2nd October 2008
The NCCRI welcomes the guidelines issued by the Department of Education and Science and the Office of the Minister for Integration. The guidelines are as follows:
- The current system, whereby schools decide their uniform policy at a local level, is reasonable, works and should be maintained
- In this context, no school uniform policy should act in such a way that it, in effect, excludes students of a particular religious background from seeking enrolment or continuing their enrolment in a school. However, this statement does not recommend the wearing of clothing in the classroom which obscures a facial view and creates an artificial barrier between pupil and teacher. Such clothing hinders proper communication.
- Schools, when drawing up uniform policy, should consult widely in the school community.
- Schools should take note of the obligations placed on them by the Equal Status Acts before setting down a school uniform policy. They should also be mindful of the Education Act, 1998. As previously mentioned, this obliges boards of management to take account of ‘the principles and requirements of a democratic society and have respect and promote respect for the diversity of values, beliefs, traditions, languages and ways of life in society’.
The Director of the NCCRI said:
‘the guidelines offer a very pragmatic and sensitive approach to the wearing of clothes associated with religious obligations in Irish schools. The guidelines will help to ensure that all children in Ireland are more likely to be educated together, irrespective of faith or the ethos of the school. The guidelines very usefully restate and reinforce education, intercultural and equality policy principles in Irish schools. They provide a clear sense of the approach to be adopted by schools, while at the same time respecting the autonomy of boards of management.’
The NCCRI’s detailed submission on this issue issued in August 2008 is available on our website ww.nccri.ie
For more information contact: Philip Watt or Kate Morris
Mobile: 087 6370557/ 0868166490
