Schools

I went to nursery, KG, school and high school here in Riyadh. I can hardly remember a time when I truly loved it. In smaller classes, its ok. But when you start to grow you are taught how all in the class are different from each other because of nationality. How some kids are privileged and some are not. You are made to hate education in Saudi Arabia!

I love swimming and riding horses. At school, at freakin’ stupid Manarat Ar Riyadh where my father paid huge amounts of money, we were constantly reminded of nationality. They used to take us swimming. After a few months, we were told non-saudis not allowed in the club. Forget horse riding!

I remember a local student telling an Indian boy: lick my feet and I will give your Dad some money. The boy cried.

I punched two Egyptians until they fainted just because they kept calling me Paki. The funny thing is that I had no clue what that meant. I just thought it was a bad word. I was told later that they were making fun of my nationality. After the punches, I became a star. The Saudi guys made friends with me and those two egyptian guys started to respect me. Might is right, I learnt. I was an ace karate fighter, so I scared guys. But, that Indian boy was not, so he cried..
He cried a lot.
I made friends with the Saudi who had made him cry. One day, I went to my Saudi friends house. I told his father about this. The father got so angry and really gave it to his son. Later, my friend asked me why I did this. ‘ Had I punched you like those two or shouted at you, you would be my enemy. I wanted your father to tell you what is right’, I told him. He is still a close friend..

What has school taught us in KSA? What will school teach our kids?
It either makes us great fighters or great losers. That happens when you are raised in a jungle. A jungle where might is right!

This is the birth place of Islam. This is where Muhammad PBUH brought equality, justice and peace. This is where slavery was destroyed and discrimination and prejudice replaced by brotherhood and love.

Schooling is grooming and nurturing a child to be a productive human being on Earth. Not a depressed, angry and confused teenager.
Its now the expatriates living in Saudi Arabia that discriminate and encourage prejudice.. You can quote me on this.
And , all expatriates have slowly become masters of prejudice and frustration.

What should the Saudis do if they are indeed respectful of humans for the sake of Allah. Settle people so that they can contribute to the growth of this country. Make a law against discrimination. Simple. That’s when schooling will become what schooling should be here.

Everyone is not an advanced believer of Allah. Some people are just simple Muslims who go away from here hating Muslims..after going to school here.