The government has warned educational institutions to be mindful of Omani culture and traditions while marking celebrations or observing special occasions.
The Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation on Thursday issued a statement following a celebration ceremony held in one of its affiliated institutions that went viral and controversial.
"Following the principles of the Sharia, Omani values, customs and norms, the ministry will prevent any such criminal abuses and has issued a number of circulars that emphasised the importance of the commitment of all higher education institutions to the Omani religious values, culture and customs," the official statement said.
The ministry added that it got in touch with the institution that committed the violation for further clarification and felt the need to conduct an urgent investigation on the matter by the competent authorities for legal procedures.
Emphasising the importance of the institution's keenness not to repeat any similar abuses, the ministry will take the necessary action to prevent such irresponsible infringements of the regulations and legislation in force in the Sultanate of Oman, it added.
Meanwhile, the institution in question said that it organises hundreds of events, cultural, scientific, religious, sports and promotional activities for its students, which is aimed at refining their talents, knowledge and perceptions.
The college handles student activities with great interest so that it will have a positive impact on their career and their personalities, it said.
"While we realise that some of the scenes that appeared on social media are not appropriate or in line with the values of the Omani society, we make it clear that some of our student activities are organised by the students themselves, including an annual international day to learn about cultures and the civilisations of their countries. Due to the organisational nature of some of these events, they attract visitors from outside the college community."
The college will take the necessary measures to avoid such irresponsible behaviour, whether by members of the college community or the visitors attending any of the student events.
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