A female counselor from the Northern Sector of the Jeddah Education Administration, caused a wave of fainting, crying and anger from third year secondary schoolgirls after confiscating their calculators during the mathematics examination on Saturday. In protest, the students handed in blank answer sheets. Abdullah Al-Thaqafi, Director General of Education in Jeddah Governorate, said an investigation will be conducted which will include the female counselor, female principal and the students. Al-Thaqafi said the administration wants to ensure that there is a suitable education atmosphere for male and female students, particularly at the secondary school stage. He expressed his total rejection of the female counselor's alleged actions. “The investigation will reveal the kind of calculators that have been withdrawn – whether they were forbidden in the exam hall or not.” The mothers of the female students said that the female counselor allegedly verbally abused, mocked and insulted their daughters after the withdrawal of their calculators. The decision of the supervisor was met with crying and a refusal to enter the examination hall. They handed in their question papers without any answers, said the mothers. They said they have filed an official complaint at the Directorate General for Girls' Education against the female counselor because of her alleged “inhumane” behavior toward the schoolgirls.
