The Students Against the Coup (SAC) movement condemned the recent decision to ban the Niqab by the Cairo University administration.

Last week, the Cairo University administration, Egypt’s second oldest university, banned faculty members from wearing the Niqab while lecturing.

Cairo University President Gaber Nassar emphasised that the decision aims at increasing the level of communication between the students and their instructors, and at improving the educational process at the university.

In an interview with the Associated Press (AP), Nassar said Grand Mufti Shawqy Allam, Egypt’s top Islamic official authority, backed his decision.

He noted that the university is not completely banning the Niqab; rather it is just regulating it inside the lecturing halls.

In reaction to the decision that was issued two days after the beginning of the 2014/2015 academic year, the SAC announced its rejection of the decision and its justifications.

Through the movement’s Facebook, the SAC posted, saying that the main reason behind banning the Niqab has nothing to do with improving the quality of education.

The SAC claimed that putting constraints on religious symbols is a sign of the “secularisation” of the university, which the group is opposed to.