Saudi varsity graduates stage protest for jobs

Riyadh: Some 200 unemployed Saudi university graduates staged a rare protest in the capital demanding jobs, Saudi media said on Sunday.

Saudi newspapers carried pictures of graduates from state universities gathering on Saturday in front of the education ministry to demand jobs as Arabic language teachers. ‘Enough injustice', read one slogan carried by the protesters.

Nayef Al Tamimi, a spokesman for the protesters, said they had graduated from university but were unable to find work, according to the daily newspaper Al Hayat.

"I was surprised about the lack of opportunities despite the need for teachers but the ministry was not interested in this," he was quoted as saying.

In a statement, the ministry of education said it was not in charge of hiring but only defined the demand for teachers based on positions allocated to it. Its spokesman could not be reached for comment.

With a population officially at 27.1 million, Saudi Arabia offers its nationals social benefits but these are below those granted by fellow oil producers such as Kuwait and Qatar, which have much smaller native populations.

Many Saudis are forced to work as taxi drivers and private security guards.