Tunisia bans Palestinian keffiyeh in exam halls citing concerns over cheating

Tunisia's Ministry of Education has banned students from wearing the keffiyeh, a distinctively black-and-white checkered scarf symbolic of the Palestinian cause, inside examination halls, citing concerns it could influence their behaviour.

In a statement released on Sunday, the ministry responded to calls for wearing the iconic scarf during secondary education exams from 5 to 12 June. The ministry warned that "wearing the Palestinian keffiyeh or any other form of clothing that influences the behaviour of the baccalaureate candidate inside the examination halls is prohibited".

"The ministry will not hesitate to implement these penalties to preserve the integrity of our educational institutions", the statement read.

The ministry condemned attempts "by some to take advantage of [the Palestinian] cause to sow disorder during national examinations or to commit concealed offences", stating that such actions would be "dealt with in accordance with the law".

Read more: Tunisia bans Palestinian keffiyeh in exam halls citing concerns over cheating