Parents can face jail in Saudi if their kids remain absent from school for 20 days; Details here
In line with Saudi Arabia's Child Protection Law, parents of schoolchildren may face imprisonment if their children are absent from school without a valid reason for 20 consecutive days, as reported by Gulf News. This measure aims to uphold the quality of education in the country.
According to information from Saudi outlet Makkah, if a student's unexcused absence reaches the 20-day threshold, their parent or guardian could become the subject of an inquiry by the public prosecution under the Child Protection Law. Following the investigation, the case will be referred to a court, where a judge will have the authority to decide on an appropriate jail term for the parent if found guilty of negligence regarding their child's school attendance.
The legal procedure against parents of absent students involves several stages, as outlined in Gulf News. Initially, the school principal is mandated to report the case to the relevant education department, which will initiate an inquiry. Subsequently, the country's Education Ministry takes over the proceedings. A family care department then conducts an inquiry into the student's absence to determine its underlying cause.
Following these stages, the parent or guardian may be subjected to investigation by the prosecution before the case is eventually brought to court.
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Silk output declines in Karnataka as pests force farmers to switch crops: Report
Bengaluru: Karnataka, India’s leading producer of silk, is witnessing a sharp decline in raw silk output this year, as pest outbreaks and rising input costs drive sericulture farmers to shift away from the crop in favour of fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
The Central Silk Board (CSB) has projected India’s total raw silk production at 30,614 tonnes for the 2024-25 marketing year (April-December) — a significant drop from last year’s 38,913 tonnes, as reported by Deccan Herald on Sunday.
“The data is provisional and does not include estimates of raw silk produced between January and April, production may cross 38,000 to 40,000 MT,” DH quoted Kumaresan Periasamy, scientist, Central Silk Board, as saying.
Despite optimism shown by the official, ground reports from key sericulture hubs such as Sidlaghatta and Ramanagara — popular for cocoon markets and silk reeling — paint a grim picture.
“There have been many diseases that have affected the mulberry crop in the past five years. As a result, many have shifted out of the profession,” DH quoted a farmer from Sidlaghatta as saying. He noted that over the years, labour shortages, escalating costs, and recurring pest and disease outbreaks have severely impacted the viability of sericulture.
While a kilogram of the crossbreed variety of silkworm cocoons can fetch up to Rs 650, input costs have risen to Rs 500 per kg, the report added.
Many farmers who have quit sericulture have reportedly moved on to growing fruits, flowers, and vegetables.
Karnataka, which contributes around 40 percent of the nation’s silk, produced nearly 29,000 tonnes of mulberry silk alone in 2023–24. However, the state’s dominance is being challenged by a combination of factors, including stagnant cocoon prices, stiff competition from Chinese silk imports, and spiralling production costs.
