CAIRO – Dr. Ibrahim Ghunaim, Egyptian Minister of Education, has referred a female teacher to legal affairs and recommended deducting one month's salary for cutting the hair of two female pupils in a school in Luxor, 700 km south of Cairo, as the girls refused to wear the hijab. The principal of the school was also referred to the legal affairs for not taking speedy action. The minister confirmed that there are no directives making wearing the headscarf compulsory. He denied that there are plans, intentions or decisions that were issued or will be issued on banning co-education in schools. He confirmed that the directives for banning corporal punishment or verbal violence in schools. The minister stressed that it is the right of the parents of the two girls to take legal action against the female teacher. Residents of the southern city of Luxor “were angered after the teacher in a niqab cut the hair of two sixth-form students to oblige them to wear the veil,” independent daily Al-Shuruk reported. Another daily, Al-Masry Al-Youm, quoted the woman as saying: “I did not imagine that cutting off two centimeters (of hair) was a great crime. I was joking with them when one of the students got out some scissors and asked me to carry out my threat. I did it to maintain my authority.” The father of one of the girls filed a formal complaint against the teacher, who said she has been wearing the niqab for five years and who was sanctioned with the loss of a month's salary. – With agencies
