Fake AI image sparks false niqab mandate rumors

Egypt’s Ministry of Education and Technical Education has clarified that a social media post claiming a mandatory face veil policy at Nagaa Said Preparatory Co-educational School in Dishna, Qena Governorate, was published in error and promptly removed.

The ministry confirmed that the school principal and the Facebook page administrator have been referred to legal affairs for necessary disciplinary action regarding the incident.

Addressing an accompanying photograph that showed all female students wearing the niqab, the ministry revealed that the image was fake and generated using artificial intelligence (AI) technology, and did not reflect actual school environment or student body.

Officials reiterated that all schools nationwide remain bound by Ministerial Decree #167 of 2023, which regulates standardized school uniform specifications across both public and private institutions.

The ministry emphasized that official school social media pages must strictly reflect educational guidelines and policies with precision and accountability.

This move aims to regulate content published across official school channels, curb the spread of inaccurate information, and ensure administrative compliance across all educational institutions.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm