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Rabat – France’s President Emmanuel Macron has stressed his commitment to the principle of secularism in the country’s education system, following Education Minister Gabriel Attal’s recent announcement on the ban of religious attire in state-run schools, including the abaya, which is worn by Muslim women.
“School in our country is free and mandatory, but it is secular. Because it is the very condition that makes citizenship possible,” Macron told the media on Friday. “And so, whatever the religious signs, there is no place for them. And we will vigorously defend this secularism.”
Macron’s remarks came as a response to the controversy sparked by Attal’s announcement earlier this week when he outlined the government’s decision to ban religious attire in public schools, a move that has generated heated debates across the country.
The French president acknowledged the challenges that teachers and heads of institutions might face in implementing this policy, and he vowed to provide unwavering support to educators.
“Teachers, heads of institutions, should never be left alone in the face of the pressures they face or the challenges that exist on this subject,” he stressed.
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In a bid to facilitate the implementation of the ban and address concerns from educators, the French government plans to deploy specific staff to support teachers and school administrators in high schools and colleges deemed to be the “most sensitive” to this issue, Macron added.
The designated personnel will also engage in what Macron described as “necessary dialogue with families and students.”
“And with the pragmatism that must always accompany determination, beyond words, we will take action,” Macron stressed, conveying the government’s resolute stance on the matter and their commitment to secularism. “We will not let anything pass.”
France’s decision to ban the abaya in schools has sparked debates and discussions both within the country and on the international stage.
While supporters claim that it upholds secularism and maintains the neutrality of the education system, critics argue it restricts religious freedom and targets Muslim communities specifically, with many describing it as thinly-veiled islamophobia.
