Saudi schools ‘are free of Brotherhood ideology’

Saudi Arabia’s schoolbooks and curricula are free of the “contamination” from the Muslim Brotherhood ideology, one of the country’s ministers said.

“The books and the curricula in our schools have no link with the Muslim Brotherhood dogma,” Ahmad Bin Mohammad Al Eisa, Minister of Education, said.

“The past issues about the Brotherhood’s influence were linked to the extracurricular activities in some schools and to the mentality of some teachers. The ministry had dealt with both.”

In March, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman had told CBS News that “Saudi schools have been invaded by many elements from the Muslim Brotherhood organisation, surely to a great extent.”

He added: “No country in the world would accept that its educational system be invaded by any radical group.”

Saudi Arabia had declared the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organisation in March 2014 and had worked diligently to put an end to its infiltration of the society.

The Muslim Brotherhood came in regular contact with Saudis in the 1950s, when thousands of Egyptian teachers were recruited to work in Saudi Arabia.