The Kano State Governor, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, on Thursday ordered non-Islamic schools to introduce veils for their female students.
“All private schools in the state are hereby directed to ensure that their pupils observe the dress code in accordance with the tradition and beliefs of our people,” Agence France Presse quoted Shekarau as telling a large crowd of veiled schoolgirls late Thursday in the state capital.
“This is in line with our resolve to bring about a positive change in the attitude of our students and to strengthen their morality. We do not expect any private school in this state to fail in this regard,” he added, without giving details about penalties.
State schools in Kano have been obliged to follow a Muslim dress code since 2003 when Shekarau was elected on the strength of his promise to implement a stricter version of the Sharia legal system. Under the dress code, school girls wear kaftan and trousers or long skirts with a veil and boys wear kaftan and trousers with a cap.