Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Makkah Emir and Adviser to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, issued a directive some two months ago that students should wear Saudi uniforms on campus.

But a field tour conducted in four major universities in Jeddah, Makkah, and Taif by Al-Madina Arabic newspaper found that jeans and T-shirts decorated with pictures of Western artists and football players were ubiquitous on campuses.

Some students were also seen wearing neck chains.

Students at the University of Jeddah and King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah said there was no emphasis from teachers to wear traditional Saudi dress. It all depends on students’ mood, they said, adding, some wear jeans and T-shirts and others wear Saudi thobe or sports outfits.

They said that the emphasis on wearing traditional Saudi dress is applicable only during final exams.

There are no awareness programs inside or outside universities about the importance of preserving national tradition.

Wafi Al-Ghamdi, a student at the College of Education at the University of Jeddah, said, “Warm weather is one of the reasons why most students do not adhere to the national dress code.

Many of them prefer to wear trousers and T-shirts. National dress gets dirty easily and costs a lot of money to get it cleaned.”

Obai Turkistani, a sociology student at the University of Umm Al-Qura, said, “I come to the university wearing trousers and a shirt because of comfort. Saudi dress is best at official occasions.”