Kuwait school apologises for asking British-Muslim to remove hijab

Fouzia said she felt blessed to have born in England as it was a more accepting society

A British Muslim who applied for a job as a nursery teacher in Kuwait was told she would have to take her hijab off because it was 'an English school'.

Stunned Fouzia Khatun, 23,was willing to work at The English Playgroup in the Gulf state which has a majority of Muslim students but she received an email from the school's HR staff which read: "Parents don't want their children taught by covered teachers. It is an English School."

The email clearly stated, Ms Khatun would not be allowed to wear her hijab on school premises if she wanted the job at the fee-paying school - and that this was "non negotiable".

The English Playgroup blamed the emails on a new employee and said allegations of discrimination were false. The school's website said children are "taught by the very best trained English specialist teachers" using the "English National Curriculum".

British-born Ms Khatun, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, who presently works as a teaching assistant, expressed she felt discriminated after reading the email.

She said: "When I received that via email I couldn't believe what I was reading. It might sound unusual, but to me being asked to leave the house without my hijab is like being asked to go out without a top on."



"It doesn't represent my religion - it is part of me. I am a loud, bubbly chatty normal British girl and my hijab is part of that same identity". Said Fouzia

She further added, "To have them suggest that British parents or an English school wouldn't want me to wear it is very offensive. I was born in England and I am English. I have never experienced any Islamophobia in my life, living in England, so it is bizarre to experience it for the first time - in the context of a country which is 99 per cent Muslim.

"I thought if anything I would be more accepted there. It has made me feel very blessed to have grown up in England, where we are clearly so much more accepting." she claimed.

Fouzia received an email back from a recruitment worker of the Play Group School in October which said she had been called for an interview - but she'd need to remove her hijab, she claims.

The worker wrote: "I do need to ask you if it would be possible to remove your hijab whilst teaching in the Early Years Nursery school as our Kuwaiti parents like British Teachers but not wearing hijab."

"I know this is a delicate area and hope you do not feel offended in any way, please have a think about it and let me know if you would like to proceed to interview."

The reply said she could wear the scarf for her first interview - but "probably" not for the second as a photo had to be taken for "management purposes". It added: "Just for your reference, in the Early Years Schools, there are only female staff."

Ms Khatun replied she was muddled because Kuwait was a Muslim-dominated country. However, the reply from the school said: "The customers (the parents) do not want their children taught by covered teachers. It is an English School.

"You can wear the hijab whilst not on the school premises but not in the school, if this isn't acceptable to you I wish you every success. This is non-negotiable."

She said: "There is enough discrimination against female Muslims from non-Muslim countries so it's extremely sad to see a school in a Muslim country like Kuwait also demonstrate this kind of discrimination."



Bosses did not respond to a request for comment, but in a statement posted on Instagram, it said: "The English Playgroup and Primary Schools employ qualified teachers from all nationalities, religions and backgrounds who serve students as excellent and caring teachers, allegations of discrimination against hijab-wearing staff are untrue. Our schools proudly employ many hijab wearing teachers and administrators across our schools."

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaLXur_HYYA/?hl=en&taken-by=epgkuwait

"The allegations against the school have been disseminated by an unsuccessful overseas job applicant who was refused employment because of inappropriate behaviour as illustrated on her social media platform."

"The opinions expressed by a new employee in the HR department are against company policy and necessary disciplinary action has been taken."

"The celebration of Islamic values is a cornerstone of the English Playgroup and Primary School's mission and the school reserves the right to pursue legal action against slanderous third parties."

The English Playgroup then released various images on their Instagram of teachers wearing a hijab as they taught.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaMUdHfHMZf/?hl=en&taken-by=epgkuwait

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaMU3WInZRr/?hl=en&taken-by=epgkuwait

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaMbNI6HSuy/?hl=en&taken-by=epgkuwait

This story originally appeared on the Daily mail.