Female students will not be permitted to wear the flowy abaya clothing that some Muslim women prefer in France.
The decision was made after France forbade head coverings in public schools for over 20 years.
The abaya, a lengthy, loose-fitting dress worn by certain Muslim women, will no longer be permitted in French public schools, the media outlet reports.
Prior to the start of the new academic year at the beginning of September, the French education minister made the prohibition official on Sunday.
Religious symbols are strictly prohibited in public schools in France, and students have been prohibited from wearing headscarves since 2004.
“When you walk into a classroom, you shouldn’t be able to identify the pupils’ religion just by looking at them,” education minister Gabriel Attal told France’s TF1 TV.
“I have decided that the abaya could no longer be worn in schools.”
