Manama: A university in Saudi Arabia has suspended a foreign teacher after he played the violin in front of a class of young women.
Dr Eisa Al Ansari, the rector of Prince Mohammed University (PMU), one of the largest private universities in Saudi Arabia, said that an investigation had been launched into the incident.
The rector said that the teacher was new at the university and that he was recruited two months ago.
The incident was a personal behaviour by the teacher and violated the formal policy of the university aligned with the systems and regulations of the Ministry of Education that are endorsed and applied by all universities in Saudi Arabia, he added, Saudi news site Sabq reported on Thursday.
Al Ansari said that the Eastern Province-based university invariably held intensive workshops for all foreign teachers about the systems, regulations, traditions and customs of Saudi Arabia ahead of assuming taking up their positions.
Commenting online on the incident and on calls to take action against the university, Nadia Al Qahtani, a student at PMU, said that the teacher was new and that he was not aware of the local traditions.
“Those of you who have been talking disapprovingly about the mixing of genders should be reminded that mixing exited in the days of Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him),” she posted.
“The university has a good reputation and all the students are happy with it. Looking for issues, particularly the mixing between genders, denotes the limits of your minds. Not every mixing is forbidden,” she said.
