RIYADH, 4 January 2004 — Physical education at girls schools will be introduced without violating Shariah regulations, Education Minister Dr. Muhammad Al-Rasheed was quoted as saying yesterday.
“If we find that physical education is good for the health of girls students and does not contain anything that violates Shariah...we’ll go ahead with the program,” he told Al-Eqtisadiah, a sister publication of Arab News.
The Shoura Council approved the PE program for girls schools in 75-29 vote last month and has passed the matter to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd for final approval.
“We want to have a decisive Shariah ruling to introduce PE in girls schools,” the minister said. There will be no mixing of men and women, he said adding that only women will be allowed to teach PE to girls.
Dr. Hussein Al-Alawi, chairman of the education affairs and scientific research committee and a Shoura member, confirmed that the proposal has been sent to King Fahd for approval.
“It is not definite that PE will be introduced to the girls’ curriculum, but the wording of our recommendation emphasized its benefits to girls’ health and the importance of it being within Islamic law and our traditions,” another Shoura member told Arab News.
