By B Izzak

KUWAIT: Students from the College of Law at Kuwait University plan to file a lawsuit asking the court to order the university administration to call off a decision banning mixed-gender classes at the college, a lawyer said on Saturday. Adnan Abul said he was asked by the students to file the case urgently on Sunday so coeducation classes continue and studies of students are not disrupted. The Al-Mostaqilla group at Kuwait University has called on students to organize a sit-in at Kuwait University on Monday to protest against the decision to stop mixed classes. Another liberal students group, the Democratic Students Forum, began collecting signatures in protest against the decision.

Meanwhile, Kuwait University Faculty Association released a statement on Saturday demanding MPs and government “stop interfering in Kuwait University affairs” and maintain the university’s independence. In its statement, the association urged MPs to avoid interfering in the university’s affairs without coordination with officials there, saying that positive support is through coordination with the university administration, faculty association and student’s union. The association also urged the government to “stop their unjustified political and media interventions” in Kuwait University’s affairs.

The association called on the acting director of Kuwait University to avoid falling under political and media pressure and to work on protecting the university’s independence.  “Kuwait University was, still is and always will be the flagbearer of knowledge and values” away from outside influence, it added.

MP Jenan Bushehri said she will submit a draft law on Sunday calling for the abolishing of a 1996 law that enforced segregation of the sexes at Kuwait University, adding the law has no legislative value in the face of the constitutional court ruling in 2015 which allowed coeducation classes when it is necessary. She added that organizational matters regarding the arrangement of classes must be left for the university administration to handle depending on the situation.

Three lawmakers, MPs Muhannad Al-Sayer, Abdullah Al-Mudhaf and Osama Al-Zaid cited the education minister as saying that mixed male-female classes will continue “as long as they are necessary”. The lawmakers rejected the wrong implementation of the law. MP Abdulwahab Al-Essa blasted the Kuwait University administration for succumbing to political pressure at the cost of public interest, adding Kuwait University has been implementing correctly a ruling by the constitutional court allowing mixed classes whenever necessary.

The decision was taken last week by new Education Minister Adel Al-Mane and acting Kuwait University Director Fayez Al-Dhafiri and implemented on Wednesday, just three days before the start of the new academic year at the College of Law. Dhafiri said the decision came in implementation of the 1996 law that banned mixed education at Kuwait University, despite a ruling by the constitutional court in 2015 allowing mixed education when it was necessary and under exceptional cases.

Islamist MP Mohammad Hayef, who heads a parliamentary committee on virtue and Islamic principles, said on Wednesday that the committee agreed with the education minister and the Kuwait University director to apply the 1996 law banning mixed education. Students were furious at the decision because it came at the last moment when they had almost completed the registration of subjects for the upcoming semester, opening on Sunday. Former MP Hisham Al-Saleh blasted the education minister, claiming he took the decision in order to protect his post, adding that the constitutional court ruling has allowed mixed education under emergency circumstances.