Manama: A principal in Saudi Arabia has been fired for failing to keep his school clean despite receiving the appropriate funds.
The decision by the education authorities in Jizan in the southern part of the country followed a string of complaints by concerned students and parents, local news site Sabq reported on Wednesday.
One of the school teachers was named to replace the principal until the end of the academic year next month and an investigation into the causes of the abominable negligence was launched.
“The education ministry is of course keen on the highest standards of cleanliness and the decision to dismiss the principal was based on the deterioration of the situation in the school,” Mohammad Al Rayani, the head of education media in Jizan, said. “Students are entitled to the healthiest and most adequate conditions to be able to learn and progress,” he said, quoted by Sabq.
The action against the principal should motivate all school officials and educators to deploy their best capabilities to ensure that their schools reflect the concerns and standards set by the ministry, he said.
Several online comments welcomed the decision and called for further action by education authorities to monitor the situation in all schools, especially in remote areas and villages.
Some commentators said that they were appalled by the pictures showing the level of negligence and health risks and urged all communities to work together to ensure that the schools are “appropriately fit for students and for the education process”.
