Fatima Muhammad

Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — There is hardly one percent support for Daesh (the so-called IS) in the Kingdom, a recent study has revealed.



Amal Al-Malki, a Princess Noura University student, noted in her research that she examined online content of Daesh and surveyed over 160 persons. She also reviewed the terror network’s social media accounts and concluded that the Daesh has been able to lure several youths toward its deviant ideology only because of its propaganda  and speeches of its figureheads. Al-Malki noted in her recommendations that there must be cooperation between ministries of information and Islamic affairs to root out these deviant thoughts from the youth.



She added that the Ministry of Education must set up committees that shall tour universities and schools to educate students about Daesh ideology.



On another note, those participating in the sixth Students’ Conference here clapped enthusiastically for a visually impaired student who presented her research about the obstacles visually impaired students face in pursuing higher education. She was not able to see the positive impression she made on the pubic but huge rounds of applause were there to encourage her.



She stated that they find difficulty in research work as they cannot find the required references in audio or Braille format. She demanded that course books and references be provided in a PDF format that can be user-friendly for visually impaired individuals.



She said there were specialized reading machines but were very costly and beyond the reach of common families.



Another research paper addressed the use of antibiotics without medical prescriptions. Students from Taif University conducted a survey of over 1,000 females ranging from 12 to 60 years old and revealed that 60 percent of them use antibiotics without contacting doctors.



Roba Zarah and her classmates conducted a research among mothers mainly because they were responsible for their families and children. She added that carelessness in using antibiotics can affect pregnancy and breastfeeding. She added that out of ignorance, several women use antibiotics for viruses and common cold. She also blamed pharmacists who provide these medications to the public without prescriptions from doctors. The study recommended increasing awareness and called on doctors to play a role in tackling this issue.



A project provided a solution to reuse water that seeps out of air-conditions. This wasted water, noted the researcher, can be used in cleaning toilets. Her observations revealed that each air-conditioner can provide at least 4 liters of water each hour in the summer. She added that she is seeking a sponsor to finance and implement her project.



Abdul Qadir Al-Fantookh, head of the organization committee of the conference, said the ministry has provided SR20 million for innovations and researches last year. He added that about 730 projects are competing in this year’s conference being attended by students of different specializations and coming from different regions of the Kingdom representing 42 universities.