Panel to study introduction of sports in girls’ schools

Saudi authorities have ordered the formation of a high-level ministerial committee to study the introduction of sports in girls’ schools.

The committee will comprise representatives from the ministries of interior, foreign affairs, education, culture and information, Islamic affairs and the Presidency of Youth Welfare.

After comprehensively studying the issue, the committee will submit its recommendations to the supreme authorities for their final decision.

In 2014, the Shoura Council asked the Education Ministry to look into including sports for girls in state-run schools with the proviso that they should conform to Shariah rules on dress and gender segregation.

The Shoura also asked the ministry to hire and properly train female teachers for physical education classes.

Shoura members noted the growing rate of obesity in the Kingdom especially among women and said that the introduction of physical education and health fitness in girl schools would help fight obesity. Those who opposed the decision said there were many schools which were not equipped to allow sports. Some members also questioned whether physical education lessons had actually decreased obesity in boys.

The authorities allowed physical education in private girls schools in 2013.

In 2012 Saudi Arabia included women in its Olympic team for the first time, a move that won support from many of its citizens.

Over the years there have been many statements by high-ranking officials in the local media in Saudi Arabia that supported integrating sports in public girls’ schools, opening private clubs, allowing female participation in neighborhood centers, and setting the stage for more Olympic participation.

However, logistical challenges remain, as there are no local sports professionals and no space is being made available in these public schools, wrote Lina Almaeena in her column in CNN in 2014.

In addition to that, very limited private facilities are available for similar activities, and there are no female members of Saudi Arabia’s various sporting federations with the exception of Arwa Mutabagani in the Equestrian Federation, she wrote.

Finally, the absence of physical education departments in colleges and universities is another major hindrance to seeing more girls and women in sports, Almaeena wrote in her opinion piece.