On Tuesday, the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) announced a ban on students soliciting donations in public areas, including streets and beaches, particularly while in school uniforms.
The ministry expressed its concern in a statement regarding reports of students from Qur’anic memorisation centres and Daaras wandering the streets and beaches to solicit donations.
“This violates child protection principles and puts students at risk of abuse, exploitation, and crime. The ban applies to all students, including those from daaras, madrassas, and conventional schools,” the ministry said.
The ministry emphasized that this practice not only undermines the dignity of these children but also contravenes principles of child protection and their right to access education in a safe and supportive environment. Furthermore, such practices put them at risk of potential abuse and harm from criminal activities.
“Consequently, the ministry bans these actions especially when the students are in their school uniforms and reminds all stakeholders that no student, whether from daaras, madrassas or conventional schools, should be sent to public spaces to solicit donations of any kind,” the statement underlined.
The ministry reiterated its dedication to protecting all pupils and students from exploitation and called on parents, guardians, school authorities, and community leaders to uphold their responsibilities in this regard.
“We also request that members of the public report any such incidents to the nearest regional education directorate, so that appropriate actions can be taken in collaboration with relevant authorities,” the release concluded.
