Jeddah: Kidnapping alert for schools

JEDDAH: The Ministry of Education has issued an alert warning school principals that they must intensify safety measures to prevent children from being kidnapped. This comes in the wake of the kidnapping of two-year-old Juri Al-Khalidi from inside a clinic in Riyadh last week. The child was found by the police in an apartment in Ishbiliyah district on Tuesday, with a citizen and expatriate reportedly arrested for the crime. According to a report in a local publication, the ministry said that school officials must inform parents if any transport arrangements are changed, including if a different relative or driver is asked to pick up a student. Mubarak Al-Osaimi, spokesman of the ministry, said there are regulations in place to guide schools on protection measures, including times when students are forced to stay at school beyond normal hours if their parents are delayed.   Arab News