Ministry of Education has stated there are no obstructions for teachers to wear Niqab in Maldivian schools.
In a statement released regarding the issue of wearing Niqab in schools, the education ministry said teachers had not previously been allowed to wear Niqab in schools until the current administration lifted the ban in January 2019. The ministry said there are currently no obstructions for teachers to wear Niqab in schools, noting several teachers and staff of schools are wearing Niqab. The ministry added no changes have been made to the decision in January 2019 to allow teachers to wear Niqab in schools.
However, the education ministry stated teachers are required to show their faces to students in class, as facial expressions are important to facilitate learning. As such, the ministry stated non-verbal behaviour is crucial to draw the interest of students to lessons. However, the ministry acknowledged that all teachers are currently required to wear face masks due to the ongoing health emergency.
The education ministry issued a statement on the issue following claims that teachers are unable to wear Niqab in schools.