Hijab lessons put Kazakh private school licenses on the line

Kazakh Education Minister Zhuldyz Suleimenova said private schools could lose their licenses for allowing students to wear hijabs.

During a recent government briefing, Suleimenova was asked how allowing hijabs at some private schools aligns with the Ministry of Education’s overall policy.

«We have a standardized school uniform. All our schools are therefore expected to adhere to the established framework. We recognize that these challenges do exist, and we are actively tackling them in close cooperation with the National Security Committee. Our broad-based commission works jointly with the akims, akimats [local governors and administrations], and other local executive bodies,» the minister said.

Schools may face sanctions

Suleimenova added that if a private school is found to be allowing hijabs in violation of the rules, it could lose its license.

Last year, Kazakhstan adopted the law banning the wearing of clothing in public that obscures a person’s face, except in limited cases defined by law. The legislation does not explicitly mention religious attire but would arguably apply to garments commonly worn by some Muslim women, such as the niqab and burqa.

Notably, more than 1,600 people in Kazakhstan have been fined since the beginning of 2026 for wearing clothing that conceals their faces, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Read also: Job denial over hijab in Kazakhstan sparks widespread public defense.