Notice has been issued to all foreign schools, barring the mission-run international schools, to observe complete segregation of boys and girls and appoint separate male and female teachers for separate sections.

Complete segregation at elementary level is not a new thing for Saudi schools. But it is being enforced in international schools as female teachers were found to be teaching the lower boys’ classes.

According to the Arabic language daily Asharq Al-Awast, Director General of Foreign Education at the Ministry of Education Abdul Hadi Muhammed Al-Shailakhi has warned school authorities about the consequences of failing to abide by these instructions.

He told the Arabic newspapers that his department will send officials for surprise inspections. The ministry will strictly deal with violating schools, he said, adding that licenses of such schools may be withdrawn or schools may even be closed down.

A Saudi Gazette survey found that many foreign schools were observing the segregation of students, but not of teachers.

“Education Ministry sent notice to all international school for complete segregation for Grade 1-2-3 since last year and we already did it,” said the principal of Nobel International School Mrs. Huda Al Masri.

But in addition to that they also sent a notice for hiring teachers for specific grades,” said the principal of Anwar-ul Mishal International school Maqbool Ahmed.

“Finding male teachers for lower grades is a tough task. Moreover, male teachers cannot handle lower class students properly,” said Ahmed.

I sent a request to the Educational Ministry seeking exemption as far as teachers are concerned, he said.

“We have separate section for boys, but females teachers are teaching them,” said the office administrator Mrs. Shashil of Barkha International School.

“We have separate section for boys, but female teachers are taking classes because male teachers can’t handle lower class students. The Education Ministry has sent notice to all international schools to hire male teachers but it’s a bit hard to find male teachers for lower grades,” said a teacher at Rwabi Al-Khadra International school.

Foreign schools have to fulfill a number of conditions in order to get license.

The license is granted by a supervisory council chaired by the minister of education, the highest authority in the foreign education. The council also includes undersecretaries of the ministries of interior and foreign affairs in addition to the deputy ministry of education for boys and deputy minister of education for girls and director general of foreign education at the ministry.

The council grants licenses on the fulfillment of the conditions including devotion of one hour weekly to teaching the Arabic language, an hour to Islamic culture, another hour to teaching the Kingdom’s geography and history.

The law also makes it mandatory for foreign schools to observe the Islamic teachings such as holding the prayers in congregation, adoption of dress code and not teaching any subject contradictory to Islam or the Kingdom’s system or culture.

About the mechanism of the enrollment of Saudi students in foreign schools Al-Shailakhi told Asharq Al-Awast, “The Council of Minister has allowed the admission in foreign schools of those Saudi students who were studying abroad. The law authorizes the Ministry of Education to allow the enrolment of those students in international schools for one year or more until they adapt themselves to the Kingdom’s education system.”

 

__________________________________________________________________