Kuwait's only woman minister, who angered Islamists by refusing to wear a head scarf, faced questioning from an Islamist lawmaker on Tuesday, adding to tension between the government and parliament.
According to Reuters, Education Minister Nouriya al-Subaih has been under fire from the start of her tenure after defying Islamist calls for her to cover her hair when she was sworn in last April.
Newspapers said up to 20 lawmakers backed a move by Islamist legislator Saad al-Sharie to interrogate her in parliament over her record.
Pressure has been mounting on Subaih, since her ministry tried to deny an incident in which three boys were sexually assaulted by Asian labourers at a primary school, newspapers said. Sharie, requesting the questioning session, said the assaults had been the result of negligence.
He accused Subaih of administrative irregularities and said she was behind falling educational standards. "We have been trying to find indications of educational reform but we have found only the opposite," Sharie said in parliament, according to Reuters. He described Subaih's management style as: "I can do what I like and no one can hold me accountable."
Dismissing his remarks, Subaih said she was working hard to reform the state educational system. "I'm applying the law," she said. The minister also told parliament she had dealt efficiently with the sexual attack incident. "I referred the case to the state prosecution," Subaih said.
© 2008 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
