The Saudi Arabian minister of education decided on Tuesday to start a physical education program in girls' schools for the first time in Saudi Arabia, starting in the next school year.
In a statement published by the Saudi press, Ahmed Al-Eissa said that the programme is designed according to the rules of sharia and will be applied gradually according to the logistics of each school, until facilities in schools are prepared to accommodate such a programme.
In Saudi Arabia, women cannot drive or travel outside the country without a family member or guardian, among other restrictions that greatly limit their participation in social life and in the public sphere.
Saudi Arabia to introduce physical education for schoolgirls Saudi public schools will now begin to offer physical education for girls in the coming academic year, the kingdom's education ministry said on Tuesday, a long-awaited step toward social reform in the kingdom.
Physical education for women is controversial in Saudi Arabia, where conservatives consider it immodest, and it is not mandatory.
Saudi Arabia adheres to strict interpretations of Islamic law and tribal custom, requiring women to have male guardians throughout their lives and obey a modest dress code.
The Saudi government has in recent years begun introducing gradual reforms to open new opportunities for women and expand their participation in the labour force.
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