The Minister of Education: "The sons and daughters of the country deserve an educational system that responds to their aspirations, invests their abilities and skills, and enhances their participation to serve their country".
His Excellency the Minister of Education, Dr. Hamad bin Muhammad Al Sheikh, extended his thanks and appreciation to the wise leadership for the continuous and unlimited support for the education sector, and for providing all capabilities and elements of empowerment for the development of education, and for achieving the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
During his meeting with a number of media and opinion columnists at the Curriculum Development Center, His Excellency said, "The goal of the development that we seek in developing curricula, study plans and applying the secondary school tracks is to build a person who possesses the skills of the twenty-first century". Moreover, possessing the requirements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and future jobs, participation in development, and the ability to compete globally, noting that the sons and daughters of the nation deserve an advanced educational system that responds to their aspirations, invests their abilities and skills, and enhances their participation to serve their country.
The Minister of Education added, " The development of curricula and study plans represent the first stage of the journey of continuous development of the education system, and raising the level of efficiency of the educational process in accordance with the best international practices. He clarified that transforming the school year into three semesters would be a way to develop curricula, study plans, the optimal investment for the school year and the school day, educational resources, and raising the level of educational efficiency.
His Excellency pointed out, "The ministry will start the next academic year with new curricula, developed study plans, secondary tracks, and three-semester system". In addition to increasing the percentage of female teachers in early childhood classes to 50%, and operational models for the return of in-person attendance despite the Corona pandemic. He stressed that these projects and development plans and others would reflect the efficiency of the educational system and its ability to work as a team to achieve these goals, overcome challenges, and continue to strengthen partnership with the society and its institutions.
Dr. Al-Sheikh clarified, "The development in a huge sector such as education scattered everywhere, the size of its staff is very large, and with multiple stages are not easy". He asserted, "Development can be achieved under a leadership empowered for development, and an ambitious vision that looks to the future". He stressed his boundless trust in the female and male colleagues from the education sector to achieve the aspirations that we would seek together for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to be a distinguished model in its educational system, and the quality of its outputs.
The Minister of Education indicated, "The development in education is not nominal, but a real, fundamental and deep improvement, and we all are partners. So, we are continuing this developmental journey to keep pace with the changes and respond to the times' needs”.
He added, "The development of curricula and study plans will improve the Kingdom's results in international tests, and bridge the gap between the years of the educational ladder and the actual years of study, in addition to the approach between the educationally advanced countries and the educational system in the Kingdom”.
He pointed out, " E-learning that supports the educational process within the schools will be expanded next academic year, and blended learning solutions will be applied; with the aim of enhancing skills, such as writing and reading skills, life skills, and labor market skills" . He added, " The common study year program will be applied for the first-year secondary students, and in 2023 AH, the five tracks will be available: the general track, health and life, computer science and engineering, business administration, and the Sharia track, according to the approved governance.
After that, the Minister of Education answered the questions and inquiries of the participants in the media meeting, stressing the importance of partnership and integration with the media and opinion writers, expressing his thanks and appreciation for their sincere national efforts in supporting the education development project.
The participants in the media meeting toured the Curriculum Development Center including the center's departments. They listened to an explanation of the mechanism of work in the curriculum development project, viewed copies of the new curricula and its contents, and compared them with the previous curricula.
