Students skipping school can put parents in jail in Saudi Arabia

Digital Desk: Saudi Arabian Ministry of Education stated that parents of students who skip school for 20 days straight without a valid reason or excuse, could be imprisoned by the authorities.

According to a report by the Saudi Arabian news outlet Mekkah Newspaper, if a student misses 20 days of school, the school is responsible for contacting the Public Prosecution Office, which is authorized to investigate by the kingdom's Child Protection Law, on behalf of the student's guardian.

 

After the investigation is complete, the Public Prosecution Office will send the case to a Criminal Court. If it is established that the student's absence from class was the result of the guardian's negligence, then a judge would have the right to issue a prison sentence to the guardian for an appropriate time.

 

According to the report, the school's principal must notify the Ministry of Education if such a circumstance occurs. The Ministry of Education will then launch an investigation and order the student's transfer to family care. Family care will then take the student in and look into the situation.

Additionally, the guardian will be referred by the school for an investigation by the Public Prosecution Office. The case will then be reviewed by the Criminal Court.

The judge will then pronounce a verdict ordering the guardian to be sentenced to an appropriate period in prison for his negligence in taking care of the child.

According to the procedure, if a student misses three days of class, a first warning will be given and will be transferred to the student mentor. A second warning will be given when the child misses five days of class, and the parent will be notified.

A third warning will be given after 10 days of absence, at which point the guardian will be called and required to sign a promise. The student will be transferred to another school by the Education Department after 15 days of absence. The Child Protection Law's requirements will be put into effect by the Education Department in 20 days.