Last week, a student in Northern Cyprus (KKTC) was denied entry to school wearing a headscarf, prompting the KKTC Council of Ministers to allow middle school students who wish to wear bonnets and bandanas to school.

After an incident where a girl student at the İrsen Küçük Middle School in the capital Nicosia, Northern Cyprus was not allowed to attend school wearing a headscarf, the issue was brought before the KKTC Council of Ministers.

The KKTC Council of Ministers has made a decision to relax the ban in middle schools, now permitting students who wish to wear bonnets and bandanas to school. Minister of National Education of KKTC, Nazım Çavuşoğlu, stated, “We had no issues with headscarves in high schools and universities. With this decision, we have also overcome the ban in middle schools. Congratulations!”

According to the official Gazette, the following statement was included in the decision: “In cases where students wish to cover their heads due to their religious beliefs, they can do so by only wearing a bonnet with a bandana on top. The bonnet and bandana must not contain any shapes, patterns, writing, symbols, or signs. They should be in a color that matches the school uniform, plain, and simple.”

The banning had sparked a reaction

Last week, a girl student attending the İrsen Küçük Middle School in Nicosia was not allowed to enter the school wearing a headscarf and was informed by the school administration and a pedagogue that she could not attend school with a headscarf and that this decision was under the authority of the school administration.

Later on, the family submitted a written complaint to the Ministry of National Education, requesting that their daughter’s right to education not be denied and that she should be able to continue her education.

After the school administration suggested that the children attend the Theology College, the Ministry of National Education brought this issue to the agenda of the KKTC Council of Ministers.

The Cyprus Turkish Teachers’ Union (KTÖS), reacting to the decision, announced that they would place a black wreath in front of the KKTC House of Representatives and the Nicosia Embassy in protest.