Okaz/Saudi Gazette RIYADH — Minister of Education Ahmad Al-Issa has approved the seasonal clubs for this year which will welcome more than 1 million students. The clubs will be run under the motto "My Vacation 2" and the program will have a total of 680 clubs; 280 of these seasonal while 400 of them are district clubs. There will be two terms for the clubs. The first term started on the second day of Ramadan (May 28) and will end on June 15. The second term will start from June 16 to Aug. 17. The clubs will be open for four hours during the month of Ramadan and in the evening. Then they will be open for five hours after the month of Ramadan. The Ministry of Education reported the clubs program fulfills the objectives of Vision 2030 as it provides the opportunity for students to exercise leadership skills and learn to persevere. The program includes five main pathways and they are: entertainment, employment, tourism, volunteerism and technology. The programs are presented in an attractive and entertaining way and they are supervised by the Ministry of Education, Public Education Institutes, Higher Education Institutes and Technological Education institutes. Ministry of Education Student Activity Director Abdulhameed Al-Masoud said the activities promote a sense of belonging and loyalty. "We promote Islamic values and condemn extremism and corruption. Each club has a budget of SR1,12,500. The budget includes the operational budget and the monetary rewards for eight members in each club," said Al-Masoud. He added the entertainment pathway includes basketball, handball, football, volleyball, self-defense sports, gymnastics, swimming and physical fitness. "There are also sea activities such as fishing, beach games and trips to the sea. As for girls, there are events and festivals for cooking, healthy food arrangement, home design, family education. The employment pathway focuses on motivating the students to take on a part-time summer job and work on their vocational skills," said Al-Masoud.
