MANAMA, 5 November 2004  Deputies yesterday vowed to implement gender segregation at the University of Bahrain “in order to protect the new generation� in the face of fierce objection from the students, faculty members and youth societies.
A proposal submitted by independent Islamic deputy Jassim Al-Saeedi to separate female and male students at the government funded university was approved by the majority of deputies during the weekly session of the Chamber of Deputies. The proposal was forwarded to the government for approval.
The efforts of the Minister of Education, Dr. Majid Al-Nuaimi, to put an end to the proposal was ignored as the deputies rushed to speak in support of the proposal that will cost the government around 6 million dinars. “This proposal is not only a financial issue but an academic one. We need to employ more professors in order for this goal to be achieved,� he said.
The minister said that the university does protect women’s rights in every way. “I am here to protect women,� remarked Al-Saeedi. “This is my gift to them.�
