Khalid Al-Usaimi and Mohammad Al-Jasser Okaz/Saudi Gazette RIYADH — The Ministry of Education (MOE) is carrying out inspection campaigns on schools all over the Kingdom to ensure all safety and security procedures are in place. Schools in the Kingdom will reopen on Aug. 23 after the summer break. Director of Education Al-Dawadmi Abdulaziz Al-Misnad said all schools in the governorate are required to fully comply with the ministry's safety and security regulations. “We are running our inspection campaigns before the beginning of the academic year to ensure that all schools are in compliance with the safety regulations. The campaigns are run by safety and security experts. Some of the schools are new and opening for the first time,” said Al-Misnad. He added the ministry had been working to provide new and suitable school buildings suitable to replace some of the rented buildings. “Some schools are run in rented buildings, which are constructed for residential or commercial purposes. The ministry has set up four new buildings for a primary school, a junior high school, a high school and an administrative building in the governorate,” said Al-Misnad. He added several schools in the Kingdom were renovated and refurbished during the summer holidays. “Old school buildings were renovated and new ones were constructed. It is all a part of the ministry's plan to provide the best learning environment possible and create more seats for students,” said Al-Misnad. Meanwhile, the Saudi Red Crescent (SRC) has submitted a formal complaint to the minister of education, saying their ambulances and rescue teams still face difficulty entering girls' schools during emergencies. The SRC said the restrictions on entering schools makes it difficult to respond to emergencies quickly, which means victims often do not receive adequate treatment on time. According to local daily Al-Watan, Minister of Education Azzam Al-Dakhil has issued a notification to all girls' schools requiring them to fully cooperate with the SRC and to facilitate their entry to school premises to deal promptly with any emergency cases. He also asked the schools to allow immediate access to the Civil Defense and other security agencies in emergencies. Al-Dakhil warned that any school official obstructing the entry of the emergency crews into their premises will be held accountable. He stressed the need to protect students' lives and provide a safe atmosphere in the Kingdom's schools. The ministry recently established a special department responsible for school safety and security, which will develop and manage adequate safety measures in all schools. The department will also be responsible for evacuation operations, fire-fighting drills and instructing students on what to do in an emergency. The ministry has requested all schools in the Kingdom to have safety equipment, and install warning alarms and emergency exits that can be used as needed.
