RIYADH — The Minister of Education Hamad Bin Muhammad Al-Sheikh announced applying a common study year program for the first-year secondary students. Al-Sheikh said during a meeting with a number of columnists at the Curriculum Development Center in Riyadh on Wednesday that starting from 2023 a five tracks study plans would be available for secondary students. These include the general track, health and life, computer science and engineering, business administration, and the Shariah track, according to the approved governance. "The ministry will start the next academic year with new curricula, developed study plans, secondary tracks, and three-semester system." This is 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 pandemic. "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 21st century," he said. Moreover, the person will be possessing the requirements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and future jobs, participate in development, and have 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 development of curricula and study plans represent the first stage of the journey to develop the education system, and raising the level of efficiency of the educational process in accordance with the best international practices," Minister of Education added. He clarified that transforming the school year into three semesters would be a way to develop curricula, study plans, provide the optimal investment for the school year and the school day, educational resources, while raising the level of educational efficiency. 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. Al-Sheikh said: "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." "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 Saudi Arabia to be a distinguished model in its educational system, and the quality of its outputs. "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 said. "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 announced expanding E-learning during the next academic year to support the educational process within the schools, 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. "Our sons and daughters deserve an educational system that responds to their aspirations, invests their abilities and skills, and enhances their participation to serve their country." The minister 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.
