Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen has established a protocol stating that face-covering clothing, including burqa, niqab, and veils, are to be prohibited. The protocol also states how to act when people with face-covering clothing enter the buildings of the Hanze. All of this is reported in the magazine for the Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Hanzemag.
The issue is primarily a formality: a new law that came into force on August 1, called ‘Partial prohibition of clothing that covers your face’. But according to Henk Pijlman, president of the College of Besuur, there has in fact been a ban on face-covering clothing since 2008.
“We have had a similar dress code since 2008. That year we were seeing veiled students for the first time and had to decide whether this was desirable or not. We then decided that we could not teach students if we cannot see their faces”, said Pijlman to Hanzemag.
The fact that a new protocol is now being introduced is because it is no longer just a prescription from Hanze University but a legal ban stating that you are no longer allowed to wear face-covering clothing in and around buildings of education, healthcare, and government.
