Government Plans to Set Up Technical Colleges for Women
P.K. Abdul Ghafour, Arab News

JEDDAH, 4 April 2005 — For the first time, Saudi Arabia will establish 17 technical colleges for women in various parts of the country.

“The new technical colleges for women will have specializations required by the job market and suitable to their nature,” said Dr. Ali ibn Nasser Al-Ghafees, governor of the General Organization for Technical Education and Vocational Training (GOTEVOT). He was speaking to reporters after signing contracts with national firms to establish 101 technical institutes and 52 technical colleges at a total cost of SR6 billion.

The Saudi government is proceeding with its efforts to find job opportunities for women. This measure moves along the lines of “separate but equal”, granting the possibility of more and better jobs. But it maintains the separation that Saudi society currently demands.

I think time will prove that the separation will break down. It’s both impractical–the intersection of men’s and women’s affairs is too broad–and too expensive–no country can afford to keep two parallel economies and governmental infrastructures running at the same time. Saudi women are making it clear that they won’t setlle for an apartheid state: the border separating the sexes will have to collapse, sooner rather than later.