Riyadh: A Saudi Islamic scholar has sued to
block an education ministry move to allow female teachers to
teach young schoolboys in private schools, Arab News reported on Tuesday.
Shariah law scholar Youssef al-Ahmad said he went to
court to block the new policy after high officials ignored his
letters arguing that women teaching boys is haram, or
forbidden, in Islam, the newspaper said.
"When I received no reply, I went to court," he said.
Last month Deputy Education Minister Noural al-Fayez --
the country`s first-ever female minister -- said female
teachers would be allowed to teach boys at grades 1-3 in
private elementary schools only.
Ahmad, who lectures at the Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic
University, said the move violated the private schools law
which he said bans gender mixing.
He also alleged it was part of a "liberal scheme" to
eventually push through mixing in all schools, the report
said.
PTI
