DAMMAM: The Ministry of Education has instructed its regional administrations to open public telephone hotlines for reports of attempted blackmail against schoolgirls. The ministry has also brought all committees dedicated to combating the blackmail of schoolgirls under the supervision of its own administrations and offices, and said it will not accept any activities or schemes related to combating blackmail unless under its supervision. The ministry has also set out the tasks of those committees in terms of instruction and guidance, schoolgirl activities, Islamic awareness, sport for children, and education for the elderly, all targeting both private and public education and the wider public through awareness and the dissemination of information in schools and outside. Teachers and other officials sitting on the committees have also been asked to ensure the highest rates of work performance and involve other authorities such as the Education Media Unit to promote a media campaign at each administration, while the Quality and Assessment Administration is to evaluate efforts, activities and competitions through set standards. The ministry has also said that each regional education administration must set up a hotline dedicated to reports of blackmail attempts, and that all decisions and instructions regarding resultant cases be made collectively. Cases of extreme sensitivity should involve consultation with on of the specialized centers. The Girls' Education Administration in the Eastern Province was one of the first to introduce measures to combat the blackmail of schoolgirls.
