A comprehensive evaluation of foreign international schools in the Eastern Province has indicated that most of them have a low compliance with rules governing their operation and management, according to an official of the Department of Foreign Schools, Ministry of Education. The MOE Department of Foreign Education has set a number of standards and regulations that foreign schools must comply with in order to get approval for their continued operation. These standards and regulations cover school facilities, fulfillment and observance of safety rules, qualification of teachers, curriculum, inclusion of Arabic curriculum, method of teaching, sponsorship, license, adequate canteen facilities and services, segregation of boys and girls, presence of a mosque or prayer room, and country accreditation. The official said 42 foreign international schools in the region had been evaluated, and that most of them have a low compliance with the ministry's standards and regulations. Many of the schools, for example, were unable to fully comply with the facilities requirements, which include the provision of classrooms, playgrounds and sports venues, laboratories for sciences, computer rooms, libraries, and toilets, the official said. On the subject of curriculum, which is mainly classified as US, UK, and international models, the MOE encourages the application of either the US or the UK models which can be combined with the national educational program of the schools. International schools in the Kingdom are required to receive the approval of the education agencies of the country they represent, as well as obtain a license to operate from the MOE. The official said that while most schools have secured the approval of the educational bodies of their country, many have yet to qualify to get an MOE license. The low compliance of foreign schools in the Eastern Province with ministry regulations is also true of other regions of the country, the official said, adding that these schools are mostly non-profit institutions providing a service to their respective communities.
