Norway is set to ban Islamic face veils from its universities.

Speaking about the proposed ban on the niqab and burka throughout Norway¡¯s entire education system, the country's education minister Torbjorn Roe Isaksen confirmed that his department is ¡°currently preparing a draft national legislation prohibiting the full veil that covers the entire face in schools, universities and colleges¡±, French radio station reported.

The move has been supported by both the right-wing government and the opposition Labour Party and would not apply to Islamic headscarves, such as the hijab, which leave the face uncovered.

¡°I want a young Christian girl who wears a cross to be able to show it,¡± said Mr Isaksen, whose comments were reported in the UK's .

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¡°I want a Jewish boy who wears a kippa to be able to show it. And I do not want a ban on the hijab,¡± he added.

The announcement follows the decision by Bulgaria¡¯s parliament to adopt a ban on wearing the full veil in public on 30 September, the Telegraph said.

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Switzerland¡¯s lower house also approved a draft bill banning the full face veil in recent weeks, while Germany¡¯s interior minister has confirmed he is in favour of a partial ban.?

France and Belgium have also decided to enforce their bans in recent years.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com