Asir Gov. Prince Faisal bin
Khaled ordered an immediate investigation into the incidents at the College of
Education and College of Literature.
The demands of women students
at the College of Education and College of Literature included an end to alleged
ill-treatment by faculty members and administrative staff and an efficient
system to keep the college campus clean.
The university administration
said it would investigate the cause of the incidents and take steps to deal
with the issues, Al-Watan daily reported yesterday.
“On Tuesday several students
were shouting and misbehaving in the college complex. They attacked security
guards, administrative staff and faculty members. They were saying their
demands were not fulfilled,” Director of Public Relations at the university
Awad Al-Qarni said.
Students started gathering
Wednesday morning in front of the college buildings and protesting after some
of them were called by the administration to discuss their issues, he said.
“After that the situation
worsened and students started destroying university property. Fire
extinguishers and water hoses were used against the vandalizing students and
some of them fainted,” he said.
He said one of the guardians
had driven away some cleaning workers and that caused the accumulation of
garbage at the university.
Students alleged that
cleaning operations were never properly undertaken and supervisory officials
were arrogant.
“We have to walk on mounds of
garbage that have accumulated close to the cafeteria. It is because the
university authorities are neglecting cleaning operations,” said a student, who
gave her name as K.E.
“I don’t go to classes often
because of the poor conditions in the university. Faculty members and
administrative officials treat us badly.”
She added that students
wanted a total change in the situation and that they were fully aware of their
rights as students.
A student who gave her name
as H.S said the authorities did not even bother to furnish lecture halls with a
sufficient number of chairs and the complaints of students were never heeded.
A parent, who did not want
his name published, said most of the water taps remain closed and the cafeteria
was not open on Wednesday.
The sister of an injured girl
alleged students were shoved or beaten up, causing injuries.
A number of officers from the
police, Civil Defense, Health Department and Red Crescent as well as members of
the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Haia) were
present at the scene of the disturbances.
Parents of the injured girls
demanded the Ministry of Education set up a commission to investigate the
issues.
A spokesman of the Health
Department in Asir province said 22 students were admitted to hospitals such as
Asir Central, Ahad Rafidah General, military hospital, Abha General and Khamis
Mushayt General. He added 31 cases were treated on the campus itself.
Haia spokesman in the
province Awad Al-Asmari said 50 commission members were sent to the scene. They
provided protection to students, helped girls contact their parents and
collaborated with other departments to solve the issue as quickly as possible.
The spokesman denied any
girls were injured by Haia members. “On the other hand, the Haia presence
created a sense of peace and security in the girls,” he said.
The members did not enter the
college until after all girls left with their guardians, he said.
