The Hijab Debate in Kazakhstan: Private Schools Could Lose Their Licenses

Public debate over wearing the hijab in schools intensified in Kazakhstan in early September 2026. The central point of the debate was a statement by Education Minister Zhuldyz Suleimenova on Sept. 8.

At a briefing, the minister said private schools that permit the hijab and other religious clothing could lose their licenses. She explained this in terms of nationwide school uniform requirements.

All schools are required to comply with these rules.

— Zhuldyz Suleimenova, Minister of Education of Kazakhstan (from The Times of Central Asia translation, 08.09.2026)

How the debate began

Another flashpoint of the debate came on Sept. 3: film producer Bayan Alagozova wrote on the social network Threads that she was tired of religious proselytizing. A broad argument began on social media after her post.

Some journalists defended the producer's right to criticize religious practices; other users backed supporters of the freedom to choose religious dress.

The official position

A decision of Kazakhstan's Ministry of Education makes school uniforms mandatory, and the uniform rules prohibit elements indicating religious affiliation. These rules have been in force for several academic years.

Kazakhstan's new Constitution specifies that the country's education and upbringing system is secular, with religious educational institutions exempted.

The president's earlier statements

In October 2023, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said that schools are first and foremost places for acquiring knowledge, and that religious belief is a personal matter.

Schools are first and foremost places for acquiring knowledge.

— Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kazakhstan (from The Times of Central Asia translation, October 2023)

In March 2024, Tokayev said that dressing entirely in black “runs counter to our people's way of thinking.”

The muftiate's position

The Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan (SAMK) proposed finding a clear legal mechanism that would permit the headscarf while preserving school uniform requirements.

The economist Olzhas Khudaibergenov assessed the ministry's decision as wrong; he noted that the color of a headscarf could be matched to the color of the school uniform.

The ministry's decision is wrong.

— Olzhas Khudaibergenov, economist (from The Times of Central Asia translation, September 2026)

By the numbers

• Minister's statement: Sept. 8, 2026
• Social media post: Sept. 3, 2026
• Education minister: Zhuldyz Suleimenova (since Sept. 29, 2025)
• Legal basis: ministry decision on school uniforms
• Constitution: the education system is designated secular

Context

Zhuldyz Suleimenova has served as Kazakhstan's education minister since Sept. 29, 2025.

The question of headscarves in schools has been under discussion in Kazakhstan for several years. Reports that students in some regions were not admitted to school were previously covered in international media.

School uniform rules

School uniforms in Kazakhstan are regulated by a decision of the Ministry of Education. The rules set out the uniform's color, style and general requirements; clothing elements indicating religious affiliation are prohibited. These rules are considered to apply equally to state and private schools.

Minister Zhuldyz Suleimenova's Sept. 8 statement concerns precisely the application of this rule to private schools. According to her, private schools that do not comply with the requirement could lose their licenses.

Kazakhstan's private school system has expanded over the past decade. Some of these schools have organized supplementary religious classes or applied a more flexible approach to students' clothing.

The two poles of the debate

Two main positions have taken shape in the debate. The first holds that the principle of secular education requires an environment in school free of religious symbols. This position is reflected in official bodies' statements and in the constitutional provision on the secular character of the education system.

The second position holds that religious freedom and parents' right to choose how to raise their children can be reconciled with school uniform rules. It was along precisely these lines that the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan proposed seeking a legal mechanism permitting the headscarf while preserving uniform requirements.

The economist Olzhas Khudaibergenov, noting that a headscarf's color could be matched to that of the school uniform, assessed the ministry's decision as wrong.

Practice in the region

The question of religious dress in schools is regulated differently across Central Asian states. In Tajikistan, religious dress in state institutions has been restricted since 2017; the country pursues a policy of promoting “national dress.”

In Uzbekistan, a new version of the law on freedom of conscience and religious organizations was adopted in 2021; the question of clothing in educational institutions is determined by internal rules. In Kyrgyzstan, there is no single nationwide ban on headscarves in schools.

The principle of a secular state is enshrined in all four countries' constitutions; at the same time, most of their populations identify as Muslim.

The form of the public debate

The debate unfolded mainly on social media. A Sept. 3 post by film producer Bayan Alagozova on the Threads platform spread widely; it drew both supportive and critical responses.

Some journalists defended the producer's right to criticize religious practices. Other users raised the question of the freedom to choose religious dress.

No opinion poll data has been published; there is therefore no precise figure on the distribution of public opinion.

The president's position

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has made several statements on the question of clothing in schools. In October 2023, he said that schools are first and foremost places for acquiring knowledge, and that religious belief is a personal matter.

In March 2024, the president said that dressing entirely in black “runs counter to our people's way of thinking.” The statement was interpreted within the framework of a policy promoting national dress and traditions.

Kazakhstan's Constitution specifies that the country's education and upbringing system is secular, with religious educational institutions exempted. At the same time, the Constitution also guarantees freedom of conscience.

Questions left open

The official announcements do not detail the procedure for revoking a private school's license — which body would do so, within what timeframe and on the basis of what inspection.

No information has been given on the number of schools found to have violated the rule or on what measures were taken against them.

The question of whether the ministry has responded to the “clear legal mechanism” proposed by the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan also remains open.

The private school system

Kazakhstan's private school system has expanded considerably over the past decade. Through the state education order mechanism, some private schools are also financed from budget funds — which brings them within the scope of state requirements.

A license is the core document required to conduct educational activity. Its revocation means the school ceases to operate and creates the need to transfer students to other institutions.

No information has been published on whether private school associations issued an official response following the ministry's statement.

Most of Kazakhstan's population is Muslim. At the same time, the country's constitutional order is based on the principle of a secular state, and religion is separated from the state.

The specific procedure on private school licenses — in what cases and by which body a license would be revoked — is not detailed in the official announcements. Opinion poll data has likewise not been published.