A video that featured a little Chinese girl reciting scriptures from the Muslim Quran has prompted education authorities in a certain province in China to enforce a ban on any religious activity inside schools, news reports say.

The girl, who is currently in kindergarten school, was wearing a black Muslim head covering while reciting scriptures from Islam’s sacred book, reports the Associated Press. She is seen sitting inside her classroom with classmates, all of them in Muslim garb.

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Outraged at the video, education authorities issued a statement criticizing the kindergarten and “strongly” condemning the act, saying that it is damaging to both the “physical and mental health of the younger generation,” reports the South China Morning Post.

The provincial government of Gansu said that the video was taken from Linxia, a Chinese prefecture that had a large number of Muslims in its population. However, it did not name the kindergarten where the video was taken, or if whether anybody from that school was fined or punished.

Citing China’s constitution and education laws, the Gansu government also reminded all education agencies of rules strictly forbidding the presence of any religion in all public schools at all levels. It said that these rules are meant to protect the children.

“All levels of education authorities must firmly resist any religious activities entering campuses,” an official wrote.

The government also said in the statement that forcing or inducing pupils to convert or move to another religion, or establishing any religious group inside schools is prohibited.

China’s communist government is atheist, but it does allow for religious expression given that it is subject to official control. Only those institutions with government approval will be allowed to hold any religious activity.

TagsGansu, Linxia, Islam, Muslim, Quran, atheism, Religion