Photo Sparks Debate Over Face Veils at Egyptian School
Listen to the story
A photo from a school in Qena, Egypt, made people talk a lot.
The photo showed girl students. Some people said the school made them wear the niqab.
The niqab is a cloth that covers the face. Many people asked if this was true.
The Ministry of Education in Egypt talked about school clothes. They made new rules for students.
Students cannot come to school in some kinds of clothes. The rules are for the new school year 2026/2027.
School uniforms in Egypt have a long history. For 70 years, students wore different clothes.
One old uniform was a beige pinafore. This is a simple dress children wore over their clothes.
Later, schools used a new kind of uniform. Many Egyptians remember these old school clothes.
The photo made many people think about school rules today.
People also talked about freedom and school dress codes.
Vocabulary15 words
- niqab
- a cloth that covers a woman's face
- education
- learning; school system
- uniforms
- same clothes people wear for school or work
- pinafore
- a simple dress worn over other clothes
- ministry
- a government department
- rules
- things people must do or not do
- debate
- when people talk about different ideas
- students
- people who learn at school
- history
- things that happened long ago
- school year
- the time when school classes happen
- clothes
- things people wear
- freedom
- being able to choose
- government
- the people who run a country
- public
- all the people
- old
- from a long time ago
Quiz
Answer key
1. Girl students, and people asked about the niqab 2. Made new rules for school clothes for 2026/2027 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
A photo from a school in Qena, Egypt, made people _____ a lot.
The photo showed girl _____.
Some people said the school made them wear the _____.
The niqab is a cloth that covers the _____.
The Ministry of _____ in Egypt talked about school clothes.
They made new _____ for students.
Students cannot come to school in some kinds of _____.
The rules are for the new school year _____.
One old uniform was a beige _____.
Many Egyptians remember these old school _____.