AXUM, Feb. 27 (AGCNewsNet) – A dispute over the hijab ban in Ethiopia’s Tigray region has escalated, with 159 female students still excluded from school despite a court ruling suspending the controversial measure.

Local authorities have yet to enforce the court’s decision, leaving students who wear the full-face niqab unable to attend classes in Axum town. The issue has sparked protests and accusations of discrimination against Ethiopia’s Muslim community, which makes up around 31% of the country’s population.

"We take our religion and way of life everywhere we go, even in schools, and the authorities have to respect this," a Muslim parent of one of the affected students told AGCNewsNet.

A coalition of six civil society organizations, including Yehono, Gorzo, Rise and Shine, Hewyet, Umbrella for the Needy, and Nolawi, has condemned the continued exclusion of students, warning that the ban is causing “social and psychological harm.” The group has called for immediate action to reinstate the students, hold school officials accountable, and compensate those affected for lost education time.

The Axum District Court had previously suspended the school directive prohibiting the hijab, labeling it an “irreversible rights violation.” However, schools have refused to comply, prompting further outrage.

Last month, thousands of Muslim students and residents protested in Mekelle, the capital of Tigray state, demanding respect for religious freedoms and the right to education. The demonstration, led by the Tigray Islamic Affairs Supreme Council, underscored growing frustrations over the prolonged ban.

“Despite clear rulings from the courts and directives from the education bureau, our daughters are still being denied access to education,” said Sheikh Adam Abdulkadir, head of the council.

Grade 12 students have been particularly affected, as some missed the deadline for online national exam registration due to schools barring them from enrolling while wearing the hijab.

The coalition of civil society groups has vowed to continue pushing for the implementation of the court ruling, emphasizing that legal decisions are meaningless if they are not enforced.

"We cannot remain silent while hundreds of female students are being denied their right to education," the group said in a joint statement.

Neither local nor federal authorities have responded to the ongoing dispute.

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