Saudi Arabia bans schools from marking non-Islamic holidays

RIYADH: Saudi Education Ministry has warned international schools from marking non-Islamic occasions, such as Christmas and New Year, the media reported on Monday. The ban includes forbidding those schools from providing holidays on such occasions or changing the dates of exams to suit them, Xinhua news agency reported. The ministry directed all schools to stick to the academic calendars for exams and holidays. The ministry warned of legal steps against violated schools that could reach to termination of the license. Saudi Arabia is a Sunni-conservative state that follows Islamic rules in all walks of life.