The bill is expected to be passed next year, making Norway the first Scandinavian country to impose a ban on wearing the face veil, the niqab or burqa, which covers the woman's face and entire body. Other face-covering clothing, such as balaclavas and masks, will also be banned.
The Norwegian government said that face-covering clothing hinders communication between teachers and students.
"These clothes prevent good communication, which is important for students to receive a good education," the Minister of Education and Research, Torbjorn Roe Isaksen, said in a statement on Monday (12 June).
"Face-covering garment such as the niqab or burqa do not belong in Norwegian schools. The ability to communicate is a basic value," acting Minister of Immigration and Integration, Per Sandberg, said at a press conference.
He said that students who do not follow the new law could face expulsion and that university employees who decide to wear a veil would risk losing their jobs.
Local authorities are already able to stop students from wearing full-face veils in schools, but there currently no national law.
Critics say that the ban is "unnecessary" as there are few people who wear a niqab or burqa in Norway.
"There are very, very few who use the niqab, so this is marginal problem in the integration context. Therefore, I believe the proposal is not necessary," Linda Noor of Minotenk, a think tank focusing on minority issues, told Norwegian broadcaster NRK.
France, The Netherlands, Belgium, Bulgaria and the German state of Bavaria have all imposed restrictions on wearing full-face veils in public places.
In May, Austria approved controversial legislation that would see women who wear a niqab or burqa in public fined €150 (£133). Austria's own President, Alexander van der Bellen, publicly condemned the ban, telling school students that "it is every woman's right to always dress how she wants."
Source: Ibmtimes
