Saudi Arabian education commission bans Abaya in exam halls

Riyadh: An educational commission established by Saudi Arabian government has reportedly banned the ‘abaya’ in the examination halls.

According to a report in The National, the Saudi Education and Training Evaluation Commission (ETEC)–announced that female students will not be allowed to wear the abaya during exams.

The report further quoted the ETEC saying that female students should wear school uniforms inside exam halls and all clothing should adhere to public decency regulations of the Islamic nation.

ETEC is responsible for accrediting educational and training systems in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, along with the Ministry of Education.

In a major reform, in 2018, Saudi Arabia had relaxed the dressing norms for women. It announced that Abaya, a loose clothing covering head to toe, would not be legally enforced. However, many women still continue to wear them.