Saudi schools in the 1970s: Science, math and moderation

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Saudi students reap the benefits of institutions specializing in technical and administrative studies, below left.
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Saudi students reap the benefits of institutions specializing in technical and administrative studies, below left.
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Updated 23 September 2019
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Saudi schools in the 1970s: Science, math and moderation

  • Many Saudis recall the 1970s as ‘the good old days,’ a time when education for both girls and boys was expanding
  • The curriculum encouraged tolerance and moderation, especially on Islamic topics, a retired principal recalls

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia may have embarked on an ambitious program of social and religious modernization, but in many ways the reforms hark back to the 1960s and 1970s — an era when people were culturally conservative, but also tolerant of different religions and cultures. Despite the traditional nature of Saudi society at that time, the country was progressing and evolving smoothly in line with much of the world.
However, a series of events in the 1970s brought progress in the Kingdom to a halt, with major social changes threatening tolerance and a moderate religious stance, and even overturning core teachings in schools and higher learning institutions.
The Iranian revolution in February 1979 and subsequent establishment of a hard-line Islamic government in Tehran, as well as militant Juhayman Al-Otaibi’s failed uprising against the Saudi government in November that year, were key factors in the change.
Rising conservative sentiment in the region and fears of further unrest in the Kingdom had a dramatic effect on Saudi society, especially on women and education, as Amani Hamdan, an associate professor at Al-Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, in Dammam, outlined in a 2005 study, “Women and Education in Saudi Arabia: Challenges and Achievements.”
Saudi Arabia was “a complex society eager to discover and enjoy the fruits of advancement, but at the same time determined to preserve its religious and cultural traditions,” she wrote.
“The balance between the two has been difficult to maintain, especially with regards to women’s professional space.”
Education for girls was introduced six decades after it began for boys. In the 1960s, King Faisal and his wife Princess Effat encouraged female education and women’s right to achieve their goals. Yet King Faisal struggled initially to convince conservative elements in society which opposed women’s education.
Fayga Redwan, a retired school principal, recalls teaching in the 1960s and 1970s, and said that the school curriculum encouraged tolerance and moderation, especially on Islamic topics.
“General subjects such as math, science and social studies were taught by foreign teachers from Syria, Palestine, Iraq and Egypt along with Islamic subjects such as Qur’an, fiqh (jurisprudence) and hadith (collections of the Prophet’s sayings),” she told Arab News.
“They were lenient in the sense that lessons were intended to offer a better understanding of our religion and the way it could enhance our lives. Teachers were never overbearing and didn’t veer off-track to apply their beliefs (if they were ultra-conservative).”
“We weren’t forced to memorize hundreds of the Prophet’s sayings. Instead, we were expected to comprehend the messages. Comprehension was a key factor in all our subjects, but that changed in later years when curriculums were reformed,” she said.
However, the growing influence of ultra-conservative clerics on daily life was quickly felt in schools, where religion became the main focus, dominating the education system at the expense of other subjects. Science, math and language teachers became religious preachers in their own classrooms.
The school system was divided along gender lines with the General Presidency for Girls’ Education heavily influenced by conservative religious scholars, and the Ministry of Education for boys focusing on science subjects.
This was to ensure that women’s education did not deviate from its original purpose “of making women good wives and mothers, and preparing them for ‘acceptable’ jobs such as teaching and nursing,” Hamdan wrote.
Meanwhile, teachers began intimidating young female students, using fear to warn them of the consequences of failing to perform religious rituals.
“Girls’ schools were surrounded by high walls and security screens. Each school, college or university was assigned at least two men, usually in their 50s or 60s, who were responsible for checking the identity of those who entered the school, and generally watched over the girls inside the school until they were picked up by their fathers or brothers,” she said.
Former student Reema Alwshaiqer said that she had been a victim of this fear. “My religion teacher used to tell stories about hell and torture, telling us that if we didn’t cover our hands with gloves and our feet with socks when we went out, we would burn in hell from our toes to our heads,” she said.
By contrast, in the 1970s, many private boys’ schools had language classes, physical education, swimming, football, tennis, music and theater, while private girls’ schools also offered physical education, and French and English language classes.
Families in the 1960s and 1970s understood the importance of education and sent their daughters to school despite criticism from religious clerics.
Manal Al-Harbi, a former high school teacher, said: “The school system was different from one city to another. I experienced first grade in Riyadh, where wearing a hijab was mandatory for older students. I was so afraid of the 50-year-old guard who told older students to cover their hair that I started to wear a hijab even inside the school.”
Al-Harbi later attended elementary school in Madinah and loved her school uniform. “Students used to wear a light gray two-piece uniform, pants and a long top with a belt. It was so comfortable. However, intermediate and secondary students used to wear long dresses with sleeves.” “Most of the teachers were Saudi, but we also had foreign teachers, mainly from Egypt, Syria and Iraq,” she added. During the 1970s there were no women’s universities in Madinah. “Most girls used to enrol in King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah and stay in the female dorms. The university used to entertain the girls who lived on campus by taking them to the beach with their female friends, professors and supervisors.”
Saudi graduates could also enrol in local universities or apply for government scholarships abroad, mainly to the US, which had more than 11,000 Saudi scholarship students at one time.
Many Saudis today look back on the 1970s as “the good old days.” Boys had more options when choosing college majors, and more job opportunities in both the private and public sectors.
Saud Al-Shalhoub, former general assistant auditor at the Saudi Electricity Company, told Arab News that teaching standards at Saudi universities at that time were advanced.
“I graduated from King Saud University, which was called Riyadh University, with a double major in accounting and business management. When I decided to pursue my master’s degree, a lot of universities that I applied for abroad waived many courses, and I completed my master’s within a year.” After graduating, Al-Shalhoub found many job opportunities in Saudi Arabia. “That would be difficult nowadays,” he said.


Saudi defense minister meets Swedish counterpart

Updated 22 November 2024
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Saudi defense minister meets Swedish counterpart

  • Discussions focused on bolstering cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Sweden

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s minister of defense, Prince Khalid bin Salman, met Johan Stuart, minister of state at the Swedish Prime Minister’s office, in Riyadh on Thursday.

They discussed ways in which relations and cooperation between their countries might be enhanced, along with other issues of mutual interest, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Other Saudi officials present during the discussions included Lt. Gen. Fayyad Al-Ruwaili, chief of the general staff of the Kingdom’s armed forces, and Hisham bin Abdulaziz bin Saif, director general of the defense minister’s office.

The Swedish minister was accompanied by a delegation that included Bjorn Kalvakov, charge d’affaires of the Swedish Embassy in Riyadh, and Sophie Becker, deputy head of the Middle East and North Africa department at Sweden’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.


Italian food festival highlights nation’s rich taste and culinary flavors

Updated 22 November 2024
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Italian food festival highlights nation’s rich taste and culinary flavors

JEDDAH: The Italian Consulate General in Jeddah hosted on Wednesday night a unique event celebrating the richness and uniqueness of Italian products and flavors on the occasion of the ninth edition of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World. 

The event is being celebrated all over the globe from Nov. 16-22 by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Italian Ministry of Agriculture as part of their drive to promote the beauty and quality of Italian gastronomy.

Leonardo Costa, the Italian consul general in Jeddah, said: “We are glad to hold this Italian food street festival in the framework of the 9th Week of Italian Cuisine in the World celebrating Italian food culture. The theme for this year’s events is ‘Mediterranean Diet: Traditional Cuisine and Healthy Food,’ which is not a list of healthy food but a lifestyle.”

He added: “All the communities of the Mediterranean Sea share the same idea of hospitality and friendship. All concepts that fully applied to the great generosity and hospitality to the Saudi people and their way of conceiving food.”

Held at Al-Basateen Compound, the Italian Consulate General in Jeddah set up an elaborate street food scene around the pool area, ranging from big local Italian brands from shops, supermarkets, restaurants, cafes, and hotels in Jeddah with the attendance of guests drawn from the diplomatic corps, journalists, Italian expatriates, Saudi guests, the business community, and other selected food enthusiasts.

The festival contained multiple food stalls displayed by the sponsors and participants such as Danub, Lallo restaurant, Assila hotel, Margherita KSA, Montana water by Sharbatly, Ferrero, Loacker, and other brands, where everyone showcased different distinctive Italian delicacies.

Music was also played for the guests by DJ Ahmed Can.

Saudi businessman Mohammed Al-Zahrani — who became fascinated by Italian coffee during his visits to Catanzaro, the capital of the Calabria region in Italy, is the founder of Dell’Oro Store. He told Arab News how he turned his passion into a business.

“I am glad to be part of the ninth Week of Italian Cuisine in the World for the first time, and I am here to promote our coffee,” he added.


Spanish aerobatic pilot Castor Fantoba puts on a spectacular air display in Riyadh

Updated 21 November 2024
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Spanish aerobatic pilot Castor Fantoba puts on a spectacular air display in Riyadh

  • World-class pilot soars high at Sand & Fun event

RIYADH: A Spanish world-class powered aerobatic pilot on Tuesday put on a thrilling aerobatic display filled with loops, rolls, spins, dives and climbs at the Sand & Fun event at Al-Thumamah airport, Riyadh. 

Organized by the Saudi General Aviation, the event runs from Nov. 19-23. 

Castor Fantoba’s performance was one of 10 SkyVentures at Sand & Fun’s series of airshows.

In a sitdown interview with Arab News, Fantoba described how his passion for aviation began and what it takes to become a world-class aerobatic pilot. 

As a child, Fantoba lived in the Spanish region of Navarra, where he watched small planes flying in the sky.

“Every child is looking into the blue ... Near my village there was an older field and eventually there were small planes doing tours and I was always stuck to the glass of the car, looking into the window trying to see if there was something around. I think it was that simple thing that marked my life.”

After secondary school, Fantoba developed a deeper admiration for aviation, which led to him pursuing a career as an engineer. 

Fantoba graduated as an aeronautical engineer and gained his extensive flying experience in areas such as aerial advertising, skywriting, crop-dusting and water-bombing.

He then decided to take a different route and become a pilot, after working for several years in aircraft maintenance. 

Today, Fantoba is an airline captain qualified to fly Boeing 737, 757 and 767s, powered aerobatics in the world-renowned Sukhoi Su-26M and is also a certified flight instructor for ultralight motorized gliders, private pilot licence training, and powered aerobatics.

To prepare for his airshows, Fantoba has a precise regimen of physical training and technical training coached by retired pilot and former member of the Soviet and Russian national aerobatic team, Nikolai Nikituk, who is widely recognized as one of the best pilots in the history of aerobatics. 

“He (Nikituk) is the one who is pushing us and modeling us to arrive at that point in which we will compete and try to win.”

During airshows, pilots take turns performing and on some days the wind could work against them. In moments like those, endurance is key, a practice taught by Nikituk.

“If you control your stress, you get focused and you don’t get nervous and lose energy.” 

Aerobatic pilots draw geometrical figures in the sky using a unique composition of sequences. When performing advanced aerial maneuvers, pilots can experience a range of gravitational forces.

Aerobatic pilots are trained to handle these forces by tensing their muscles to maintain blood flow to the brain and avoid blacking out.

Fantoba said dealing with negative Gz force, when pushing a plane over into a dive, took him 10 years of practice to perfect it. 

“After 10 years of training, (previously) I was not able to get the good rotation or transition, but this year I got it so this for me is the most satisfying.”

To avoid problems in equilibrium, prevent dizziness and fade-out, Fantoba said a lot mental focus, physical conditioning, and training are required. 

“You need to do exactly what you are told to do in a sequence. A sequence is composed of about 14 figures that are very complex with rotations in all directions.” 

Fantoba spoke of an experience when he blacked out during a positive Gz flight. “I remember I was beginning a training camp and I was really relaxed during the beginning of the season ... I was not pushing my body … I remember I was going up and then a voice was calling me ‘Castor, do you hear me?’ (on the radio) and I saw all blue and suddenly realized I was flying.”

Pilots begin with 10 points and lose 1 point per 5 degrees of deviation, so precision is vital to a successful airshow. Pilots usually score an average five points, but Fantoba’s attention to detail allowed him to score 8.3 points in the previous World Championship. 

Fantoba encourages individuals to try flying. “With normal health, you can fly ... you have fantastic aircraft here in Saudi Arabia … call them (organizations) and ask them ‘how can I become a pilot?’ It’s easy and you will discover an absolute new world.”

“Aerobatics and generally all air sports, it does not matter if you are a man or woman, it’s based on skill … in aerobatics we do not have separation.”

Fantoba has numerous achievements to his credit. 

He was a runner-up in the 2022 World Team Championship, runner-up in freestyle at the 2019 World Championship; three bronze medals at the 2017 World Cup; double bronze medal in the 2015 World Cup, bronze medal in Classic and Freestyle in the 2016 European Championship, Absolute European Champion 2014, and nine times Absolute Spanish Champion.

He has been officially recognized as a high level athlete by the Higher Sports Council since 2005. He has bagged more than 50 medals in his sporting career, six medals in a single top-category competition (European Aerobatic Championships 2014). He has won 30 FAI (world governing body for air sports) medals, including six golds.


Man arrested for transporting nine border security violators in Jazan

Updated 21 November 2024
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Man arrested for transporting nine border security violators in Jazan

JAZAN: Authorities in Jazan arrested a citizen for transporting nine border security violators of Yemeni and Ethiopian nationalities. Legal procedures were carried out, and the violators were handed over to the authorities before being transferred to the Public Prosecution.

Authorities have warned that anyone who facilitates the entry of border security violators into the Kingdom, transports them, provides them with shelter, or offers any form of assistance or service, will face severe penalties. These include imprisonment of up to 15 years, fines of up to SR1 million ($266,318), confiscation of any vehicles or properties used in the offense, and public defamation.

Meanwhile, while enforcing environmental regulations in the King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve, field patrols of the Special Forces for Environmental Security arrested a man for illegal hunting in a prohibited area. He was found with an air rifle and three trapped wild animals. Legal measures were taken, and he was referred to the authorities for further action.


Ehsan charity empowers non-profit organizations

Updated 21 November 2024
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Ehsan charity empowers non-profit organizations

RIYADH: Workshops arranged by Ehsan, the national platform for charitable work, are helping empower non-profit organizations.

The initiative will ensure leaders keep pace with the governance of charitable work, with sessions aimed at developing methods to plan and implement projects.

The events are part of Ehsan’s efforts to increase the knowledge and develop the work of its non-governmental partner organizations. They align with its vision of maximizing the impact of projects, developing technical solutions, strengthening partnerships and empowering the non-profit sector.

The first workshops were launched in the Hail, Al-Jouf, Central and Asir regions, and Jeddah Governorate. More than 500 non-governmental organizations took part.