A psychologist and behavioral scientist are opposed to the idea of jailing the five schoolgirls who recently confessed to starting the fire at the Bara'em Al-Watan Private Girls' School here. Dr. Ahsan Moubrak, Dean of the Studies and Research Center at Naif Arab University for Security Sciences and a Specialist in Crime and Delinquency, said that detention in a correctional facility will only make the young girls more aggressive after their release, reported Al-Watan Arabic daily newspaper. He said the youngsters need to undergo behavioral treatment with the help of female psychologists who have a background in education. These specialists are working for the education ministry, he added. Moubrak said that it was clear the students were suffering from behavioral disorders. Sending them to a juvenile correctional facility will only turn them into juvenile delinquents. He said their behavior can be modified because they are young and have no criminal records. “Also, most educationists attach great importance to extra-curricular activities because this keeps students occupied with useful hobbies. If this school had these kinds of activities, the pupils would not have committed this offense. In addition, the families have not played their proper education and guidance role at the school.” Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Dekhail, Chairman of the Saudi Association for Social Studies and a psychology consultant at King Saud University in Riyadh, said that it was clear that the girls were “unstable personalities” because they were of different ages and had all participated in lighting the fire. “It should also be understood that schools have a substantial role to play in looking after the education of their students. The students became involved in this tragic incident because their school does not have any social programs.” He also urged the Ministry of Education to reappoint social workers and psychologists at the nation's schools. This will allow the ministry to monitor the behavior of students and provide treatment and counseling where necessary. Rayan Al-Mufti, a lawyer, said it was likely the girls would be detained because they are minors and juveniles, especially considering the loss of life and possessions, and the damage caused. He did not rule out the possibility of corporal punishment and added that they should undergo psychological treatment.
