KUWAIT CITY, Nov 08, 2009 (AFP) - A hardline Kuwaiti Islamist MP on Sunday threatened to call for the prime minister to face a grilling in parliament after the government made music classes compulsory in schools.

"We hold the prime minister responsible for this decision... We call for halting this, otherwise, we will use constitutional tools. This could lead to grilling the prime minister," Mohammad Hayef told reporters.

"We will not allow our schools to become centres for graduating dancers," said Hayef, who belongs to a group of ultra-conservative Salafi Islamists who consider, among other things, that music is prohibited under Islam.

Music has always been part of the curriculum in Kuwaiti schools despite opposition from hardline Islamists but the education ministry decided to include music as part of students' overall marks effective at the beginning of the school year in September.

"What is required now is for the ministry to revert to the old system, otherwise, we will submit a draft bill to ban music from schools," Hayef said.

He said the education ministry's decision was an attempt to Westernise Kuwaiti society.

Over the past few years, the Kuwaiti government has tightened the screws on musical concerts under pressure from Islamist and conservative MPs who have been the dominant force in parliament.

A few months ago, a concert by Egyptian pop singer Tamer Hosni was stopped by information ministry supervisors after a teenage girl went up to the stage and kissed him on the cheek.

oh/og/hkb

© Copyright AFP 2009.

 

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