New law to tackle unruly students

The Ministry of Education is drafting new rules to counter disobedient, unruly and violent students at public schools.
The ministry recently carried out a study classifying the improper behavior of students. The most severe was embracing destructive notions and beliefs and neglecting some of the rituals of Islam, followed by sexual offenses, possession of weapon and drugs, physical assault of schoolteachers and officials and forgery of official documents.
Ministry spokesman Muhammad Al-Dukhaini said moral education was an important part of the education process. A committee is studying the proposed rules at the ministry's counseling and guidance department.
He said the rules are aimed at improving and encouraging proper behavior, providing school officials with clear measures for dealing with erring students and ultimately providing a proper education environment for students and teachers.
He said the ministry has measures for violations based on their severity. It also gives marks for behavior, attendance and grades, and provides ways for students to regain lost marks.
The ministry's study showed students committed various behavioral violations at schools including neglecting prayers (insisting on not performing them), verbal threats to schoolteachers and officials, damaging property, physically assaulting and injuring others and stealing. The study also found that some students were bringing hazardous material and knives to school, smoking inside the school premises, leaving class without permission and bringing phones and other communication devices.