RIYADH, 17 February 2003 — It is a familiar sight at the end of every semester: Students destroying books and throwing them in the trash, including religious books containing verses from the Qur’an.
In addition to financial losses worth millions of riyals, the practice is a sign of the indifference with which many students view education.
Muhammad Al-Saeed, an elementary school principal, told Arab News that students are showing they want to end their relationship with what they have learned, even though some of them might fail and need the books to re-sit their examination.
“We collect books that are still in good condition in case we have a shortage of new books,” he said.
He blamed both teachers and the students’ home environment for this wholesale trashing, because neither does enough to impress on youngsters the value of books.
“They should explain to them that these books cost a great deal of money,” he added.
“It pains me to see these ugly scenes of books scattered everywhere each semester,” said Al-Jawhara Al-Megeteb, the principal of a girls’ middle school.
“Apart from anything else, it takes a lot of time to clear them up.”
Al-Jawhara suggested that there should be a committee during examination times to check on students who destroy these books, suggesting a SR15 to SR20 fine. Schools should also be provided with special containers where students can dump their books after completing their exams.
“This kind of behavior comes from weak students who hate their school or their teacher,” said Dr. Fahad Al-Rabeia, president of the department of psychology at King Saud University.
“It’s a kind of retaliatory action which directs the students’ energy toward destruction,” he added.
“Destroying books must mean that there is a problem in the home or school,” argued a parent. “Students should feel that a book is a good friend and not their enemy.”
