Indonesia has banned schools from forcing girls to wear Islamic “hijab” headscarves after the case of a Christian pupil pressured to cover up sparked outrage in the world’s most populous Muslim nation.
The move was applauded on Friday by activists, who say non-Muslim girls have been forced for years to wear a hijab in parts of the country.
State schools will face sanctions if they fail to comply with the edict from Education Minister Nadiem Makarim.
Schools that violate the rules could see their government funding cut, he added.
