Education minister unveils new system, highlights major quality and scholarship achievements

Education Minister Yousef Al-Benyan said the new public education system marks a major step forward in developing and governing education, by providing the necessary enablers to achieve its goals, raising the quality of the educational environment, and organizing the roles of the private and non-profit sectors. This, he added, will enhance the system’s ability to innovate, improve the student experience, support teachers, and build family trust, while upholding national values.

He made these remarks during a government press conference organized by the Ministry of Media in Riyadh to review the latest developments and achievements in the education sector, and preparations for the 1448-1449 academic year, attended by several education and media leaders.

Development and innovation pillars

Al-Benyan explained that the new system supports the development and governance of education, provides tools to achieve educational targets, and enables improvement of the learning environment. It also organizes the roles of the private and non-profit sectors, enhances educational development, improves the student experience, supports teachers professionally, and strengthens their status in society. He noted that the system promotes values of tolerance and coexistence, reinforces national identity, encourages pride in the Arabic language, and supports quality early childhood education.

He added that the system includes support for people with disabilities, nurturing gifted students, regulating e-learning, strengthening the role of families, setting school quality standards, and organizing private and non-profit sector participation in education to attract investment and boost partnerships.

Key achievements and strategic initiatives

The minister noted that early childhood enrollment has reached 35 percent, with a target of 90 percent by 2030. He said the ministry is working with both government and private sectors to develop kindergarten services at workplaces. Al-Benyan stressed that investing in students, nurturing talent, and enhancing education quality are central to educational development. He pointed to the King’s Scholarship Program, which supports this direction, with 26,000 students expected to study abroad in 2026, and the proportion of those accepted into the world’s top 50 institutions rising to about 70 percent in the 2026-2027 academic year.

He added that in 2025 and 2026, licenses were granted to two international universities and 10 international schools, along with a partnership with a local university. Work is also underway to build a national curriculum model based on religious values, national identity, and skills development, while advancing artificial intelligence capabilities, critical thinking, and language proficiency.

Digital transformation and teacher development

Al-Benyan said the education sector is preparing for artificial intelligence, noting that the World Bank praised the AI Sandbox initiative for digital education, which involves government partners. He added that 22 subjects have been developed, 50 AI teaching units prepared with the help of 120 specialists, and more than 36 million books delivered to schools and 60,000 books to homes before the summer break.

The minister emphasized that teachers are key to educational success, with 240,000 teachers benefiting from the Human Capability Development Initiative, and a digital platform serving more than 500,000 education professionals. This has led to teachers winning 72 local, regional, and international awards, including prizes at international invention exhibitions.

Tangible results and global rankings progress

Al-Benyan said curriculum development, teacher empowerment, and improved learning environments have positively impacted student performance, with students winning 400 medals and awards at local and international events, including the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) and the Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions.

He noted that Saudi universities have advanced in global rankings, with 22 universities included in the QS World University Rankings, five among the world’s top 100, and 14 in the Shanghai Rankings’ top 1,000, including five in the top 500 and King Saud University in the top 200 globally.

Strengthening partnerships and investment in education

The minister highlighted the role of the private and non-profit sectors in supporting education, with 200 contracts for private school construction, 160,000 student seats, and turning education spending into investment opportunities through partnerships in school nutrition, sports facilities, transportation, and digital transformation. The ministry has also expanded non-profit sector involvement, with 130 non-profit schools serving more than 40,000 students, and volunteer work in education reaching its targets with the participation of 961,000 volunteers.

On digital transformation, Al-Benyan said the "Madaris" platform offers more than 20 digital services for parents and investors, while the "Madrasti" platform provides a digital learning environment for over 11 million users, delivering 242 million interactive lessons and 93 million educational activities cumulatively.

The minister announced the launch of the "Education Portal" as a unified destination for all education services, with work ongoing to transfer all services to the portal within the next six months.