For PGE official, tragedy was only an act of God!

JEDDAH, 17 March — The official in charge of girls’ education in Najran area expressed surprise at the way the local press handled the Makkah school tragedy, in which 14 young girls perished, saying the fire was an act of God and as such it could have happened anywhere.

Rasheed H. Al-Baydhani, director of girls’ education in Najran, southern Saudi Arabia, said the local media blew up the incident out of proportion because of personal grudges held by certain journalists against the Presidency of Girls’ Education (PGE).

“The press should fear God in what it writes. Why all this attacks against the PGE? If these journalists were indeed acting out of patriotic feelings, why did they fail to address the situation of the rented boys’ schools run by the Ministry of Education? Why don’t they discuss the condition of the primary health care services under the Ministry of Health? Why only vent their temper upon the PGE? They are all seeking personal gains,” Okaz newspaper quoted Al-Baydhani as saying.

“These writers want to corner PGE officials because their daughters, sisters or wives have not been transferred to the areas of their preference,” he added.

Al-Baydhani said rented schools run by the PGE are far better than those of the Ministry of Education in terms of the general standards and specifications.

“I wish these writers would tone down their language and take the heat off the PGE, which is guilty of nothing. What happened was an act of God, and God has destined life and death. It is He who gives and takes life. What happened could have taken place in a car or a plane. I extend my condolences to the families of those girls and pray to Almighty Allah to bless them with His mercy.”

Al-Baydhani called on the public to await the results of an official investigation already under way to determine the causes of the accident. However, he did not rule out a criminal act behind the tragedy.

Asked if he considered the incident something normal, he said it could have happened with any government department, anywhere in the country.