Saudi Arabia: Authorities intervene to get 3 children back to school
Brothers had been out of education for 5 years due to actions of their father
Dubai: Saudi Arabia’s Human Rights Commission has successfully intervened to bring back three children to school after they were deprived of education by their father.
The watchdog found the three brothers stopped going to school for five years due to their father’s stubbornness and reluctance to enroll them owing to family disputes following his separation from their mother.
The watchdog confirmed parents are committed to enroll their children in school, and schools must investigate the reason behind school dropouts.
HRC’s investigation teams gathered information about the children’s situation following a complaint from a relative. The teams coordinated with the social protection unit to verify the complaint and address the situation.
However, the watchdog’s efforts were hindered by the father’s lack of cooperation, prompting the case to be transferred to the region where the children live to summon the father, who pledged to send his children back to school.
The watchdog then coordinated with the education department in the region to find a solution to making up the period of school interruption by conducting tests for the children to determine their level.
The human rights agency will follow up the case to ensure the delivery of books for the tests, in preparation for the children’s enrollment in the appropriate class on the basis of their performance.
The issue is still subject to the follow-up by the HRC until the children are enrolled in classes. The watchdog will ensure that the authorities concerned take the action to hold the father accountable in accordance with the Child Protection Law.
Meanwhile, Bandar Al Hajri, director-general of complaints at the watchdog, said that a child’s dropout from school is a form of child abuse. “What this case revealed is a serious abuse of children’s rights that requires competent authorities to address it and hold parents accountable,”
He highlighted the importance of protecting children from the effects of family disputes and preventing their exploitation.
