Saudi Gazette report

 

RIYADH —  There is no mixing between boys and girls in international schools owned by Saudi citizens in the Kingdom, the Senior Scholars Commission and Ifta Council was assured on Sunday.



After receiving reports that boys and girls were being taught together, the Commission called the head of the committee on international schools at the Council of Saudi Chambers in Riyadh for questioning, Makkah daily reported.



Mansour Al-Khinaizan said he held three meetings with three of the Commission’s prominent members and was able to convince them that the allegations were false.



He said the Commission asked if the international schools were a real threat to Islamic identity and were propagating gender mixing.



Khinaizan said the three meetings were held with Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Asheikh, Sheikh Saleh Al-Fouzan and Sheikh Abdullah Al-Mutlaq. “Through documents and official papers we were able to prove to the Commission that the accusations were not true and that the Ministry of Education is closely monitoring the international schools for any violations,” he said.



Khinaizan explained there are two types of international schools, consisting of those owned by citizens and others belonging to embassies. “The international schools owned by citizens teach Islamic subjects, Arabic language and the Kingdom’s geography and history at all stages,” he said.