A royal decree was issued today in Saudi Arabia approving the public education system, which aims to strengthen the governance framework for public education, provide the necessary enablers to achieve its targets, enable it to raise the quality of the educational environment and its outputs, in addition to regulating the role of the private and non-profit sectors in line with the targets of Saudi Vision 2030.

The system enhances the governance of public education by defining the roles of the Ministry of Education, the Council for Public Education Affairs, and relevant authorities, supporting the alignment of educational policies, plans, and programs, raising decision-making efficiency, and enabling the ministry to develop regulatory, monitoring, and oversight tools for the public education sector.

The system contributes to supporting investment in education by regulating the participation of the private and non-profit sectors in providing educational services and enhancing the attractiveness of investment and partnerships according to clear controls, to raise service quality, expand educational options, and ensure the sustainable development of public and private educational institutions.

The system emphasizes the protection of human rights in education, the rights of students and teachers, and the provision of a safe and stimulating learning environment, supporting the quality of the educational process and improving the experience of male and female students, in addition to consolidating the role of the family in supporting the educational journey.

The system supports the quality of care and education in early childhood, in line with the importance of the early years in building a child's personality and skills. It also contributes to providing educational and support services more tailored to the needs of students with disabilities within educational institutions, as well as supporting the care of gifted students and developing their abilities, enhancing the quality of the educational experience and accommodating the diversity of student needs.

In the coming period, the Ministry of Education, in coordination with relevant authorities, will work on completing the executive and regulatory provisions to ensure its implementation according to a clear methodology and support achieving the targets of developing public education and raising the efficiency of its outputs.

It is worth noting that the public education system includes a number of provisions regulating educational stages, the Council for Public Education Affairs, educational institutions, educational tracks, e-learning, continuing education, the educational environment, and the rights of students and teachers.

Opening the door for foreign investment

The new public education system, issued today, opens broader horizons for investment in the education sector by regulating the participation of the private and non-profit sectors and allowing foreign investment, enhancing the diversity of educational options and raising the quality of services, in a step aimed at supporting the targets of Saudi Vision 2030.

The system stipulates that the Ministry of Education oversees its activities while ensuring the participation of the private sector, including foreign investors and the non-profit sector, in providing education services at the public education stages, supporting the sector's growth and expansion.

Government support for investors

The system grants the Ministry of Education the authority to provide multiple forms of support to private educational institutions, including financial, in-kind, and developmental support, in addition to providing human resources, in coordination with the Ministry of Finance and the National Committee for Incentives.

It also allows the ministry to assign the management and operation of some public educational institutions to the private or non-profit sector, in addition to assigning government educational lands and buildings to investors, including foreign investors, for management, operation, or investment in private educational institutions, according to regulatory controls.

Facilities to diversify educational models

The system permits granting licenses to private educational institutions to offer educational models that differ in content, methods, or management approach from traditional patterns, with executive regulations specifying the procedures and requirements for such models.

It also obliges the Ministry of Education to respond to licensing applications within 30 days, with a reasoned rejection decision and the right to appeal according to relevant regulations, in a step aimed at enhancing transparency and improving the investment environment in the sector.

Controls for tuition fees

The system includes regulating tuition fees in private educational institutions, where the Ministry of Education sets criteria for fee adjustments and submits them to the Council for Public Education Affairs for approval, while private schools are committed to setting and adjusting fees according to those criteria.

Investment in educational assets

The system also grants the Ministry of Education the authority to invest in and develop assets and properties designated for public education, generating returns that support the sector's development, in addition to allowing the establishment and ownership of public educational institutions through contracts with the private sector or foreign investors, according to regulatory procedures.

The system affirms Saudi Arabia's direction toward expanding private sector participation in education and creating a more attractive regulatory environment for investment, supporting the sustainable development of educational institutions and raising the efficiency and quality of public education outputs, in line with the targets of Saudi Vision 2030.