The Shura Council held its 43rd regular session of the second year of the ninth term today, chaired by Deputy Speaker Mishal bin Fahm Al-Sulami.

At the outset of the session, the Council reviewed the agenda of its 43rd regular session and the items contained therein, taking the necessary decisions regarding them.

Related News Shura Council The Shura Council issued a decision requesting the Ministry of Education to develop an indicator to measure the readiness of children of early childhood age (pre-school stage) to transition to primary school; in order to support learning continuity and reduce gaps, and contribute to improving learning outcomes in subsequent stages. The Council took its decision after hearing the viewpoint of the Education and Scientific Research Committee, presented by Council member and committee chairman Nasser Tayran, regarding the members' observations and opinions expressed in a previous session on the annual report of the Ministry of Education for fiscal year 1446/1447 AH.

In its decision, the Council called on the ministry to study the development of mechanisms and policies to benefit from the expertise of retired male and female teachers, to make them a sustainable resource for the educational system.

Educational Process The Council affirmed in its decision that the ministry should develop mechanisms to regulate the attendance of teaching staff in schools, taking into account the nature of the educational process, and contributing to improving the quality of the school environment and educational outcomes. In the same decision, the Council called on the Ministry of Education to improve the efficiency of the 'Madrasati' platform by expanding the use of emerging technologies, supporting the 'smart schools' model, and enhancing the readiness of the educational system to deal with exceptional cases and emergencies.

The Council stressed that the ministry must evaluate the 'Qubool' platform in its first year and develop supporting capabilities to reduce cases of withdrawal and academic failure.

Health Coverage The Council also issued another decision during the session, requesting the National Health Insurance Center to develop mechanisms for the hierarchy of health coverage between the center and other insurance entities; and to govern the claims of government health facilities; to ensure that those facilities or the center do not bear costs resulting from the failure or delay in disbursing due claims. The Council took its decision after hearing the viewpoint of the Health Committee, presented by Council member and committee chairman Hassan Al Masloom, regarding the members' observations and opinions expressed in a previous session on the annual report of the National Health Insurance Center for fiscal year 1446/1447 AH.

In its decision, the Council called on the center to develop procedures to ensure the continuity of care and treatment - without interruption - for patients with advanced and complex chronic diseases requiring ongoing healthcare. In the same decision, the Council called on the center to govern the pathways of referrals for treatment in private healthcare institutions within the Kingdom and treatment abroad, ensuring that the center's decisions are aligned with patients' needs and that the level of care is equivalent among treatment alternatives.

Pharmaceutical Preparations In the same context, the Council issued a decision requesting the Saudi Food and Drug Authority to complete the connection of all pharmacies to the electronic tracking system for pharmaceutical preparations 'Rasd'. The Council took its decision after hearing the viewpoint of the Health Committee regarding the members' observations and opinions expressed in a previous session on the annual report of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority for fiscal year 1446/1447 AH. In its decision, the Council called on the authority to develop regulatory and awareness mechanisms to limit the circulation and promotion of unregistered herbal products in herbal shops.

Training Programs In its decision, the Council called on the Saudi Food and Drug Authority to study expanding the training and qualification programs offered by its affiliated academy, including their accreditation and provision to all authority clients in the sectors under its supervision. The Council affirmed in its decision that the authority should address the regulatory challenges related to the circulation and sale of milk and dairy products from farms and producing families, achieving a balance between supporting producers and ensuring food safety. The Council also called on the authority to study expanding the involvement of the private sector in providing some of the authority’s services while taking into account its competencies and regulatory role.

Emergency Ambulance Services In another health context, the Council issued a decision requesting the Saudi Red Crescent Authority to educate the community about cases that require requesting emergency ambulance services, and to increase its efforts in preventive awareness. The Council took its decision after hearing a response from Council member and Health Committee chairman Hassan Al Masloom regarding the members' observations and opinions expressed on the annual report of the Saudi Red Crescent Authority for fiscal year 1446/1447 AH, after it was presented for discussion during this session. The Council also called on the authority to study the establishment of a national framework to measure the impact of its ambulance services on patient outcomes after completing all stages of healthcare.

Integration of Institutional Roles Among the decisions on the agenda of this session, the Council issued a decision calling on the Ministry of Investment to study the integration of institutional roles with the Investment Marketing Authority, and to measure the impact of the current model on spending efficiency and achieving investment targets. The Council took its decision after hearing the viewpoint of the Commerce and Investment Committee, presented by Council member and committee chair Hanan Al-Samari, regarding the members' observations and opinions expressed in a previous session on the annual report of the Ministry of Investment for fiscal year 1446/1447 AH.

National Investment Strategy The Council affirmed in its decision that the ministry should measure the economic impact of the National Initiative for Global Supply Chains (Jisri) through clear performance indicators and time-bound targets, and link its results to the targets of the National Investment Strategy. The Council also called on the ministry to develop follow-up mechanisms with investors in the final negotiation stages, and activate electronic linkage of essential data with relevant entities. The Council also requested the ministry to develop performance indicators to measure the volume of contracts awarded to local small and medium enterprises by attracted foreign companies, to ensure added value to the local economy.

Investment Opportunities In the same context, the Council issued another decision regarding the contents of the annual report of the Saudi Investment Marketing Authority for fiscal year 1446/1447 AH, calling for the development of measurement indicators to evaluate investment opportunities and classify them in regions before presenting them to investors, including measuring regulatory readiness, infrastructure, and potential challenges. The Council took its decision after hearing a response from the Council member and chair of the Commerce and Investment Committee regarding the members' observations and opinions on the contents of the authority's annual report after it was presented for discussion during this session. In its decision, the Council called on the authority to develop a methodology to measure the contribution of its programs and initiatives in attracting foreign direct investment, and link it to the targets of the National Investment Strategy. The Council affirmed in its decision that the Saudi Investment Marketing Authority should govern the roles and responsibilities among relevant entities in attracting foreign direct investment.

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