WEEKEND FEATURE A mother recently told me that her daughter asked for almost Saudi Riyals 9,000 for her private graduation party so they could finish their high school after couple of months. When I told her that my daughter had not brought it up yet, the mother said, she will ask you soon “and you know, we have to give them the money otherwise, they will be ashamed in front of their friends.”
I said, “I personally don’t support the idea of spending such a large amount of money just for a private graduation party because their school is already organizing a good party and have taken amount for it as well….But I know that if my daughter wants the amount, her father will give it to her”. The mother replied, “Yes this is a modern and high class Saudis ‘culture’ to have a lashing private graduation party….. So you should not interfere and let your daughter attend the party”.
I forgot to ask about that private graduation party from my daughter. Then a few days later she showed me the pictures of her friends enjoying a graduation party at a posh event hall. Asking why she did not attend this party, she tells me, “it’s a waste of money. I would rather give this amount to someone needy. I will enjoy my school graduation party which is coming soon.”
I am proud of my daughter for having such strength of character and how she did not succumb to peer pressure to wasting money on a private party. Moreover, she even didn’t consider talking to me about it, but what about other teenagers who are the pillars of Saudi society.
Lavish graduation parties are not just a Saudi cultural phenomena as that same mother told me. Graduation parties are being celebrated in many countries but the ways and traditions surrounding academic graduation ceremonies differ around the world. The way now our Saudi youth celebrate it, is not a healthy culture. Graduation is receiving an academic certificate. The party to celebrate this convocation is not stuffy affair in grandma’s dusty living room these days and in Saudi Arabia, it has become a most accepted trend, especially in high class society, to spend a fortune to enjoy the graduation celebration. Saudi marriages are already considered a dilemma for their high-cost.
According to a study conducted in Madinah by social workers Dr. Muhammad Al-Dhabyani and Adel Al-Oufi for Osraty Charitable Organization, “one of the causes of the high rate of divorce in Saudi society is finance as the Saudi couples like to spend lots of money on extra expenses but they lack basic money management skills”. This is all happening because we are warping our children’s perception of money from the teenage years to spend money irresponsibly.
The graduation party hosted by the college, had the whole class of students host one large get-together privately. Other schools hold joint graduation parties requiring coordination and sharing of rental costs, food preparation and expenses. Sometimes, students hire an event management company costing anywhere from SR100,000-500,000 for a group of 40 to 50 students and their guests. The hotels and event halls charge upwards of SR200 per person or more. Invitations, cake, food and drinks, photographer, videographer, singer, DJ, graduation gowns, decoration, stage, dress, hair and makeup, souvenir and gifts etc. cost around SR9,000 or more per student. The budget usually corresponds to the size of the graduation party. Unfortunately the college administration and teachers usually know about these expensive private graduation parties but they don’t bother trying to curb this kind of irresponsible behavior.
Think! Is this a positive way to celebrate the academic achievement while one of the silent killers attacking the developing world is the absence of quality basic education for children in the world’s poorest countries. We can teach our new generation to fight global poverty with education support a student by giving them this amount to celebrate their achievement and to thank Allah for this success in education. We can tell our children to do something great with their graduation day and give back by making a difference in the lives of the poor around the world, and start your next year of life with some good karma in your back pocket.
There are so many websites to find the students who need support in education. Each help gives students a chance to achieve their dreams while learning the skills they need to help their families and transform their communities. Families need money to send their children to school. It costs approximately $150 per year to support a child through elementary school education. We should strive to serve poor children regardless of their religion, ethnicity, race, gender or personal view point.
I am not against of celebrating the academic achievement but if colleges already host a grand graduation parties, there is no need to organize them privately at such an extravagant level. Inspired by our Islamic values, the culture of hefty private parties should not be encouraged. Instead of wasting money this way, we should dedicate time and money for poor children around the world to lift them up through education, help them to become a good citizen of the world and to make this world a better place to live for every child.
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