Riyadh: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has banned the abaya (loose black robe from head to toe; traditionally worn by Muslim women) in exam halls.
The Education and Training Evaluation Commission (ETEC) announced that young female students will not be allowed to wear abaya during examination period.
The ETEC said in a tweet, “It is necessary to adhere to the dress code that conforms to the regulations for preserving public decency in the examination venues, knowing that it is forbidden to wear the cloak at the time of taking the test.. Good luck.”
This came in response to a tweet in which a Saudi girl, Dalia, asked him if it was permissible to wear the hijab during exams.
In 2018, it was announced that the abaya was no longer legally valid, although a number of women in the kingdom continue to wear it.
