Muslim girls 'got better grades' after veil banned in schools in France, study claims

20 April 2022, 08:36 | Updated: 20 April 2022, 08:38

Banning Islamic veils in French schools has seen Muslim girls achieving better grades
Banning Islamic veils in French schools has seen Muslim girls achieving better grades. Picture: Alamy

By Megan Hinton

Banning Islamic veils in French schools saw Muslim girls achieve better grades and led to an increase in women marrying outside of their religion, a new study claims.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Wearing a veil was banned in all schools in France in 2004 alongside other "ostentatious religious signs" after 70 percent of the nation felt that the veil was an obstacle to the country's national unity.

The move was met with criticism from religious leaders who feared the ban would see an increase in persecution but new research suggests the law significantly improved education for Muslim girls.

Statistics show that before the ban was introduced, Muslim women were around 12 per cent less likely to complete high-school compared to their peers.

After the ban was implemented, the gap closed to 6.5 per cent and research suggests around this time period, Muslim women began to marry outside their religion.

Read more: Harry says he’s ‘making sure the Queen is protected and has the right people around her’

Professor Eric Maurin, a co-author of the study, said: "For students who wore the veil, the ban may have had a negative effect on those who were most attached to it, as it may have led them to drop out of school.

"But the ban may also have had a positive effect on students who were forced to wear the veil and on students suffering from stigmatisation and discrimination in school because of it.

"When comparing women in the Muslim group to those in the non-Muslim group, the data reveals a very significant increase in educational attainment in the Muslim group for the cohorts that attended middle school and reached puberty after the ban.

"This increase clearly coincides with the implementation of the circular: the more years the Muslim group women spent in middle school after the circular the higher their educational attainment."

Read more: Boris 'orders Tories to block new Partygate probe' as he defies calls to quit

The new findings comes as right-wing presidential candidate Marine Le Pen vowed to implement a nationwide headscarf ban in public areas if she won the election.

The politician described the hijab as part of the "Islamist uniform" claiming it was "imposed over time by people who have a radical vision of Islam".

Speaking about her plans to ban the religious clothing item, she said: "Women who don’t wear it are isolated, are victims of pressure, and insulted.

"I won’t tolerate this, all women in France must be able to live completely free."

With an estimated five million Muslims in France, headscarves are commonly worn by many Muslim women.

But over the weekend, the presidential candidate seemingly relaxed her headscarf policy as she noted that the issues involve "complex problems" and that "there will be debate".

It comes after reports suggested the policy was hampering her popularity in the run up to the election.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

'Birkin' bag by Hermes which belonged to British-French actress and singer Jane Birkin

Original Hermes Birkin bag which belonged to actress Jane Birkin sells for £8.6 million

Parts of an Air India plane that crashed on Thursday are seen on top of a building in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, June 13, 2025.

Investigators look into Air India's vital engine switches after plane crash killed 270 people

Sean O'Meara

Four suspicious devices found where police shot chainsaw-wielding man in gas mask

Distressing footage Body worn footage shows PC Lydia Ward being comforted by colleagues as she is bleeding from the nose after she tried to arrest an assault suspect at Manchester Airport.

Shocking clip shows cop with bloodied nose crying after Manchester Airport brawl as bodycam footage shown to jury

A neurosurgeon pointing towards a computer as they analyse a patient MRI Scan at a brain surgery clinic.

Air pollution exposure increases risk of common brain tumour, study suggests

Frank Barrie

EastEnders star and theatre legend Frank Barrie dead at 88 - as family pays tribute

PC Luke Holden PCSO Tim Parry Sgt Greg Gillespie

'I saw the look in his eyes': Hero officers open up about moment they came face-to-face with Southport killer

Exclusive
Screen grab of Leader of the House of Commons, Lucy Powell, speaking in the chamber during the debate on draft legislation giving the Government 'the power to direct steel companies in England' to protect British Steel's Scunthorpe plant.

Commons leader 'vows to fix broken system' after LBC investigation 'shines light' on SEN parents' cease & desist letters

Blue Stevens, 26, was stabbed to death in Knightsbridge after 'standing up to someone who was trying to steal his watch'.

Father stabbed to death outside five-star hotel 'for his Rolex' pictured - as tributes pour in for victim

A top Ukrainian intelligence officer has been shot dead.

Ukrainian intelligence officer accused of sabotage attacks in Russia shot dead in Kyiv

Exclusive
Police rushed from the Russian embassy to stop the thieves.

Masked thieves target Lamborghini driver in west London - hours after man knifed to death ‘for Rolex’

Health Secretary Wes Streeting takes part in the Call the Cabinet phone-in on LBC, hosted by Shelagh Fogarty

Wes Streeting suggests doctors could take pension cut to pay for pay rises ahead of 'unprecedented' strikes

rack and field athlete Caster Semenya's right to a fair hearing was violated by the Swiss judicial system, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled.

Caster Semenya wins human right fight as sex eligibility case set to return to court

Lewis Capaldi's forthcoming tour has been a sell-out

Lewis Capaldi's emotional message to fans after comeback tour tickets sell-out within an hour

Eight people were taken to hospital after a car collided into Highcliffe Care Home, in Sunderland

Eight taken to hospital after stolen BMW smashes into care home during police chase - as two men arrested

A hospital has reported that children queuing for supplements have been killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza.

Children queuing for nutritional supplements killed in Israeli strike in Gaza, hospital says