(AFP) Several thousand Turkish Cypriots marched on Friday to protest a new regulation allowing pupils to wear Islamic headscarves in secondary schools, a move critics say threatens the community’s secular traditions.
The rule, introduced in March in the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus — recognised only by Turkey — amended the school disciplinary code to explicitly permit headscarves in high schools. Middle schools were left to adopt the rule at their own discretion.
“This is a religious symbol. A child under the age of 18 cannot make this decision with their own free will, in my opinion,” said Dila Ensari, 15, who attended the rally with her mother, a public school teacher.
