FROM QASSIM - ONE VIEW ON EDUCATIONAL REFORM AND

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 RIYADH 000550

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DEPT PLEASE PASS TO NEA/ARP FOR SWALKER/BSHUKAN/RJACHIM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/18/2027
TAGS: PTER PGOV PINR PREL PHUM
SUBJECT: FROM QASSIM - ONE VIEW ON EDUCATIONAL REFORM AND
TERRORIST REHABILITATION

Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission David Rundell for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (S/NF) SUMMARY. Governor of Qassim Province Prince Faisal
bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and his advisor, Dr. Yousef
Al Romaih, a professor at the University of Qassim, told
Ambassador during their March 6 meeting that the merger of
Imam College and Qassim University was a positive step that
resulted in more resources and a lower student to professor
ratio. Al Romaih said that to meet local needs, the
University has added several new programs and that two
community colleges have been established. One was opened in
Buraidah in 2006, and the facility in Unaizah will open this
year. Al Romaih stated that there are also increased
educational and employment opportunities for women, although
limited in nature. Al Romaih, who is involved in efforts to
rehabilitate individuals arrested for extremism, advocates
long-term re-education and re-integration as necessary
components of a successful program. He indicated that he has
worked with 16 individuals with no recidivism thus far. Al
Romaih's efforts comprise just one slice of the broader MoI
program aimed at re-educating and rehabilitating detainees.
Preliminary information on MoI's program also indicates a low
level of recidivism, and the numbers make a credible argument
for the program. However, it is still new and too early to
understand the program's long-term strategic impact. END
SUMMARY.


2. (C) Governor of Qassim Province Prince Faisal bin Bandar
bin Abdulaziz Al Saud told Ambassador during their March 6
meeting that he is pleased with the overall progress in
Qassim Province and the support of the SAG for initiatives
there. He agreed that Qassim is extremely conservative and
pointed out that the King visited Buraidah (capital of Qassim
Province) last year carrying a message of economic
development, reform, and tolerance.


3. (C) The Governor invited Dr. Yousef Al Romaih to join the
meeting when the discussion turned to educational reform.
(BIONOTE: Al Romaih holds a PhD in criminal science and was
educated at various universities in the northwestern part of
the U.S. He is a professor at the University of Qassim. END
BIONOTE.) Al Romaih, whom Prince Faisal described as the
head of his "think tank," stated that Iman College and the
University of Qassim had been combined so that all resources
would be co-located. He admitted to some initial concern
that the prestige of the institution would decline, but said
the change has resulted in more availability of resources and
a lower ratio of students to professors. He added that the
curriculum is basically the same; however the University has
added several new programs, such as pharmaceuticals, which
was driven by local needs. (NOTE: A large pharmaceuticals
factory, Spimaco, is located in Qassim's "industrial city."
END NOTE.) By responding to these local drivers, Al Romaih
said that Qassim Province is positioned to meet "Saudization"
goals, as well as increase services.


4. (C) In an effort to respond to the needs of those
individuals who do not continue their education at the
university level but still require job skills/training, two
new "community" colleges have been established. The first
opened in 2006 in Buraidah, and the second will open this
year in Unaizah. Al Romaih said that students will receive
certificates upon completion of their course of study, and
will be able to transfer to the University if their grades
are good enough. He emphasized that it is extremely
advantageous for employers to hire students from these
institutions because the government subsidizes their salaries
at 50 to 75 percent for two years. He added that those
skills that are most in demand -- Arabic and English language
proficiency and computer science -- comprise the curriculum.
Both the Prince and Al Romaih agreed that this kind of
forward thinking did not exist in the Kingdom until recently.



5. (C) Al Romaih noted that the same opportunities are
available for women -- just at separate facilities. He
stated that there is a growing trend for employment of women
vis-a-vis "social centers," where women are taught important
capacity-building skills that will enable them to launch
small enterprises. (NOTE: Head of the ladies branch of the
Riyadh Chamber of Commerce told PolOffs on March 4 that women

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tend to gravitate towards such ventures -- especially those
that provide services to other women -- and that
capacity-building is their greatest training need. END NOTE.)


6. (C) Al Romaih continued that he is actively involved in
"re-educating" individuals detained for extremism. He
posited that what he described as the "takfiri problem" began
with the Saudi youth who were recruited to go to Afghanistan
in the 1980's and then sent back to teach this ideology to
young, "ideologically fickle" Saudis. (NOTE: Al Romaih
described takfirism as the concept of Muslims being deemed as
"kafir" or non-believers due to their affiliation with U.S.
or western thought. END NOTE.) He emphasized several times
that this ideology must be addressed through education and
not with arms. "It is easier to kill," he said, "but we must
change minds," adding that the ideology is passed from
generation to generation, therefore deeply inculcated in
these youth. He admitted that "we do not follow 'takfiri
people' but need to." He suggested that it is possible keep
takfirism as a theoretical concept as opposed to one that
mandates action, but insisted that very strong anti-terrorist
ideology is a must. He stated bluntly that those who believe
in extremist ideology must be "brainwashed" with
anti-terrorist ideology and that it requires a great deal of
time and effort.


7. (C) In order to prevent detainees from spreading extremist
ideology, stated Al Romaih, they must be separated from the
general population and experts must work with them to change
their way of thinking. He added that detainees would not
trust the police, so qualified individuals with credentials
such as his are key to the re-education process. He cited
his own success with such a program, saying that he has
worked with 16 individuals thus far -- with no recidivism to
date. (NOTE: Al Romaih works with individuals in detention
facilities. He did not indicate whether his work is part of
MoI's broader program, which uses such local resources. END
NOTE.) He pointed out that re-education is a long-term
commitment that requires up to two years, with additional
work upon a detainee's release, in order to ensure effective
re-integration into the community.


8. (S/NF) COMMENT: The Saudis have very much embraced this
concept of "re-education" and, indeed, have had some initial,
success. Al Romaih claimed he has experienced a 100 percent
success rate, which taken on its own, is impressive.
However, his is just one slice of the broader MoI program
aimed at re-educating and rehabilitating detainees. Although
preliminary information on MoI's program also indicates a low
level of recidivism, the program is still new and it is too
early to understand its long-term strategic impact. Clearly
the Saudis are addressing extremism in a context that is
relevant to them culturally. While it is still too early to
know whether the Saudis' approach will be successful in the
long term, Al Romaih -- and the numbers -- make a credible
argument for the program. END COMMENT.
OBERWETTER