Earlier this month, unconfirmed media reports said that the Minister of Higher Education ordered Syrian universities and educational institutes to ban women wearing niqab from university campuses.

This decision came after reports confirmed the transfer of about 1,200 teachers wearing niqab from their school positions in the Ministry of Education to office jobs in the Ministry of Local Administration. The minister reportedly said that he took this decision to maintain the “objective, secular methodology” of Syria’s schools, and added, "the students are our children and we will not expose them to this kind of radicalism."

The reaction of Syrians to this decision varied from one group to another: some religious people were critical, saying it is un-Islamic to ban the face veil while others said it is a violation of personal freedom believing that people are free to wear whatever they want. Yet the problem is that the majority of women wearing the niqab are forced to wear it by their families, who make them face two choices: to wear the niqab to go to college or not to go at all.

Many civil right activists believe that this decision should be implemented after taking several steps to change the mentality of society via education and media, and that this decision is only a limited solution to the problem of radicalism in our universities. Moreover, they also believe that this decision applies more pressure on women wearing the niqab, as they are forced to wear it by their parents to go to college, and now they must choose between education and adherence to their parents' commands.

As a student at Damascus University I really think the niqab is unacceptable at colleges because it's not only a symbol of radicalism but it also creates a defect in the educational process, especially in examination rooms, because it's easier to cheat wearing the niqab since it is hard for observers to confirm the identities of the women wearing it. And personally, I can't deal with people whose faces I can't see as communication requires facial expressions as an accompaniment.

• Sam Dalla: Was the Chinese model that good?
• Assad appoints a 29-member Constitutional Committee, for a new constitution by next February

• Assad appoints a 29-member Constitutional Committee, for a new constitution by next February
• Sam Dalla: Was the Chinese model that good?

• Assad appoints a 29-member Constitutional Committee, for a new constitution by next February
• Sam Dalla: Was the Chinese model that good?

• Assad appoints a 29-member Constitutional Committee, for a new constitution by next February
• Sam Dalla: Was the Chinese model that good?