British education inspector backs schools to remove face veils

British schools and colleges which don't want their pupils or staff wearing veils could enlist support on Tuesday from a British education official.

Michael Wilshaw, Chief Inspector of the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) said on Tuesday that he gave his full support to school and college leaders who decide to take a stand against the inappropriate wearing of the veil.

He said institutions would be marked down by inspectors of Ofsted, which inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people, if they judge wearing veils "is acting as a barrier to learning and to positive social interaction".

The Chief Inspector said he realized that some heads and principals who are trying to restrict the wearing of the full veil in certain circumstances are coming under pressure from others to relax their policy.

"I want to assure these leaders that they can rely on my full backing for the stance they are taking," he said in a statement.

"I am determined to ensure that discrimination, including on the grounds of gender, has no place in our classrooms. We want our schools, whether faith schools or non-faith schools, to prepare their pupils equally for life in 21st century Britain. We need to be confident our children's education and future prospects are not being harmed in any way," he added.

Wilshaw's remarks came after British Prime Minister David Cameron and the Education Secretary Nicky Morgan said last week that individual public organisations should be free to put in place sensible rules on the issue of face coverings. Endit