Manama: The spokesperson for Saudi Arabia’s education ministry has been sacked after he attributed a “damaging” statement to the Education Minister Prince Khalid Al Faisal.
Mubarak Al Asimi was eight months into his two-year assignment as spokesperson for the ministry when he said last week that the minister had plans to cancel the maternity leave for staff in girls’ schools.
The statement said that female teachers, principals, supervisors and administrators would be affected by the plan.
Al Asimi reportedly said that the education minister hinted at the decision to drop the maternity leave, but no formal decision has been taken.
The statement, made days before the reopening of the schools following the summer holidays, triggered a wave of condemnation and frustration among female teachers who saw in it a denial of their rights.
Al Asimi on the following day denied the claim, saying the minister never hinted at dropping the maternity leave.
On Sunday, Prince Al Faisal decided to replace the spokesperson, local daily Al Sharq reported.
Al Asimi, posting a tweet on his personal account, thanked everyone for their support and said that a new spokesperson would be appointed soon, the daily added.
Saudi women are entitled to 60 days of paid leave related to the birth of their babies. They can for the next three years apply for a longer maternity leave that allows them to receive only the quarter of their salaries.
Prince Khalid, the Governor of the Makkah region, was appointed education minister late in December.
He vowed to introduce a series of far-reaching reforms in the sector. Saudi schools re-opened on Sunday to accommodate 5.5 million students.
