A crowd gathered at the Ministry of Education in Riyadh on Sunday to express their objections on “Shariah grounds” to various activities conducted by senior ministry officials, notably the visit of Deputy Minister for Girls' Affairs Noura Al-Fayez to a boys' school in Al-Zulfi last week. Al-Hayat Arabic daily reported on Monday that the group described Al-Fayez's visit as “a step toward the ministry's wish for coeducation”, and that they were also prompted to voice their objections after the ministry permitted private schools to employ female teachers in the education of lower level boys' classes. Riyadh municipal council member Misfer Al-Bawaradi, who was among those gathered, told Al-Hayat that Al-Fayez's visit to the school was a violation of regulations and Shariah law and that it had “no justification”. The Ministry of Education issued a statement on Sunday saying that Deputy Minister Faisal Bin Mu'ammar met with members of the public who submitted a range of proposals related to the work of the ministry which will be studied. “The meeting was following instructions from senior state officials to hear the requests of the public and work to fulfill requirements to improve services to the public,” the statement said.
