MADINAH, 16 May 2004 — Truancy is endemic in the Kingdom’s schools, and the culprits rarely have any regrets. The Arabic language daily Al-Madinah conducted a random survey of cafes and entertainment places recently and found school-age children everywhere.
“School rules and warnings from the principal have no meaning for them,” the paper said.
When confronted, some of the students justified their actions by saying that it was an adventure. Others said school for them was nothing but problems, pain and suffering. In order to escape, they dodge the principal and school guards besides other obstacles.
Many of the students referred to school as “prison”, the paper said.
“We enjoy running away from school,” Yousif Al-Obairi said. “We plan our escape a day in advance, and we determine who we will have to outsmart in order to get away. The important thing is if we are going to run away, we must do it early so we can enjoy most of the morning.
“Once we have escaped, we go to a local restaurant for breakfast. If we can’t get away in the early morning, we cancel the plan and try again the next day.”
Amir Al-Harbi plans even further ahead. “We plan it a week in advance, and usually we coordinate with friends in other schools,” he said.
“We plan who is going to get the car and who is coming with us and who will bring the money for breakfast. We do this once a month. It’s very good to have some time off from school.”
Faisal likes to run away from school in style. “It’s a special treat for me to escape in spite of restrictions and guards.” He sends a message to the principal to say that “your restrictions have no force and you cannot stop me.
“I always dare myself to do the unexpected. If I am caught, then I get a one-day suspension or I have to bring my father. When the punishment is over, it is back to running away from school,” he added.
