The objectives of Saudi educational policy are to ensure that education becomes more efficient, to meet the religious, economic and social needs of the country and to eradicate illiteracy among Saudi adults.

General education in the Kingdom consists of kindergarten, six years of primary school and three years each of intermediate and high school. The Ministry of Education sets overall standards for the country's educational system and also oversees special education for the handicapped. Early in 2003 the General Presidency for Girls' Education was dissolved and its functions taken over by the Ministry, to administer the girls' schools and colleges, supervise kindergartens and nursery schools and sponsor literacy programs for females. The first government school for girls was built in 1964; by the end of the 1990s there were girls' schools in every part of the Kingdom. Of the nearly 5 million students enrolled in Saudi schools for the academic year 2003-04, about half were female.

After elementary education, students can attend either high schools offering programs in both the arts and sciences, or vocational schools. Students' progress through high school is determined by comprehensive exams conducted twice a year and supervised by the Ministry of Education.

The dramatic quantitative growth of the educational system since the introduction of the First Development Plan in 1970 has been more than matched by an improvement in the quality of education. One measure of this emphasis is that while the number of students in the educational system increased six-fold between the 1970s and the 1990s, the number of full-time teachers grew more than nine-fold. The Kingdom's ratio of 15 students to every teacher is one of the lowest in the world. The government, however, continues to work to improve educational standards. This has been achieved by raising the quality of teacher training programs, improving standards for evaluation of students and increasing the use of educational technology. One aspect of this is the introduction of computer science at the secondary level. In 2000, an ambitious school computer project was named after then- Crown Prince Abdullah. In addition, the administration of the educational system has also been enhanced by delegating greater authority to the regional boards.

Entering a new era of rapid development of the country's infrastructure and economy in the early 1970s, Saudi Arabia devoted special attention to fostering higher education. Established in 1975, the Ministry of Higher Education embarked on a long-term master plan to enable the Saudi educational system to provide the highly trained manpower necessary to run the country's increasingly sophisticated economy.

One of the first objectives was to establish new institutes of higher education throughout the country and expand existing ones. By 1999, there were eight major universities and a large number of other institutions of higher education. By 2003, there were also several private institutes of higher education, with more planned. Another objective was to establish undergraduate and postgraduate programs in most disciplines at Saudi universities and colleges. As a result, Saudi students can now obtain degrees in almost any field within the country and, only if necessary, pursue specializations abroad.

In 1993, King Fahd, who has always been closely associated with the development of education in Saudi Arabia, introduced new provisions for the Higher Education Council and the University System, with the objective of further improving the efficiency of Saudi universities by offering programs in new fields, encouraging greater cooperation among Saudi institutes of higher learning and increasing involvement of the teaching staff in the operations of faculties.

By the 2003-04 academic year, there are around 200,000 students at Saudi universities and colleges, a dramatic improvement over the 7,000 students enrolled in 1970. Of that number, more than one half are female students studying at the five universities - King Saud, King Abdulaziz, King Faisal, Imam Muhammad bin Saud and Umm Al-Qura - that accept both male and female students, and also at the numerous colleges set up exclusively for women.

The oldest university in the country is King Saud University in Riyadh. When it first opened in 1957, there were only nine instructors teaching 21 students. The university now accommodates around 25,000 students in its faculties of art, science, commerce, engineering, agriculture, medicine, dentistry, nursing, education, computer science and information science. It offers doctorate programs in many fields and is particularly noted for its schools of engineering and medicine.

The Islamic University at Madinah, founded in 1961, serves as a center for Islamic studies and for teaching Islamic culture. It also offers programs in Arabic literature and the arts and the sciences. Its graduates include non-Saudis from 105 countries. Imam Muhammad bin Saud University in Riyadh and Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah, awarded university status in 1974 and 1981 respectively, offer programs in the various arts and sciences, including engineering, architecture, science and technology and education, although both are highly regarded primarily for their Islamic law, history and Arabic literature. Imam Muhammad bin Saud University has branches in the United States, Japan, Indonesia, Mauritania, Djibouti and the United Arab Emirates offering programs in Islamic and Arabic studies.

The King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, founded in Dhahran in the Eastern Province in 1963, is considered to be on a par with the best in the world, offering programs in the modern sciences, including engineering, mathematical sciences, finance, economics and management and marketing. Its research institute conducts studies in a variety of fields, notably in petroleum technology and environmental issues.

King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah was founded privately in 1967 by a group of Saudi businessmen who understood the importance of education in national development. The university developed so rapidly that in 1971, the founders petitioned the government to assume responsibility for its operation. Since then it has expanded considerably and is now the largest of the Kingdom's universities, with over 42,000 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs in various fields of study.

The Eastern Province's King Faisal University, with two campuses in Dammam and Hofuf, offers a range of programs, including medicine, administrative science, and architecture and urban planning. Founded in 1975, the university is famous for its outstanding agricultural and veterinary sciences programs. It has educational and experimental farms in Hofuf and conducts advanced research in agriculture and animal husbandry.

The most recent of the public universities is King Khalid University in Abha, in Asir Province, which opened in 1998 with five faculties of Education, Medicine, Islamic Law and Fundamentals of Religion, Arabic, and Administrative Studies

To complement their studies in universities in the Kingdom, Saudi students have the opportunity to pursue graduate and postgraduate degrees in specialized fields abroad. Supported by government scholarships, thousands of Saudi students are enrolled in universities outside the Kingdom, mainly in the United States.

One institution that has been instrumental in the development of higher education in Saudi Arabia is the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology. Dedicated to research in various fields, including education, it helps formulate the national policy for the development of science and technology, conducts applied scientific research and assists the private sector in research and development.

The Special Education Department of the Ministry of Education operates schools for the blind, deaf and the physically and mentally handicapped. Other institutes care for older handicapped people. The special schools are part of the Kingdom's effort to encourage every individual to reach his or her full potential.

Another important sector of Saudi Arabia's educational program is adult education. With its commitment to making education available to all and eradicating illiteracy, the Kingdom established a large number of adult education centers. In isolated rural areas, the government conducts intensive three-month adult education courses during the summer. The Kingdom's literacy rate is above 90 percent for men, and just over 70 percent for women.

The Kingdom has identified technical and administrative training as an essential sector of education to support the country's economic and social development. Graduates of training programs in health care, agriculture, teaching and other areas are steadily filling positions at industrial, agricultural and social institutions throughout the country. The General Organization for Technical Education and Vocational Training, along with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, operates most of the Kingdom's vocational training centers and higher institutes of technical education. The Ministry of Education operates vocational and secondary schools, and several other government agencies run institutes or training centers in their particular specialties.

These institutes teach, for example, machine tooling, metalworking, electro-mechanics, and auto mechanics, offering young Saudis the opportunity to learn skills that are in high demand, and courses specifically tailored to meet the needs of unemployed Saudis.

Another important institution, designed to address the country's shortage of administrative personnel, is the Institute for Public Administration, established in Riyadh in 1961 as a semi-independent public agency. The institute provides basic as well as in-service training for civil servants, carries out research and assists government agencies in administration, communication and computer sciences. Today, it has branches in Dammam and Jeddah, and a special branch in Riyadh for training women. It offers students courses in administration, law, accounting, computer science, maintenance, personnel management, secretarial skills and management planning.

The educational system of Saudi Arabia seeks to bestow the legacy of Islam and the wisdom of the past upon new generations, while training them to meet the challenges of the future. King Fahd has always expressed Saudi Arabia's commitment to provide the country's youth with opportunities to develop their capabilities. Whether their interests are technical, scientific, or artistic, students today have the chance to pursue knowledge in a wide variety of fields, in the most modern educational institutions.

As part of its efforts to make education available to Saudi students residing abroad, the Kingdom has established a number of educational institutions throughout the world, with the three largest in the United States, Britain and Germany. Students attend kindergarten through 12th grade at these schools, receiving instruction in Islam and the Arabic language, in addition to the regular curriculum.  The first of regular meetings of directors of Saudi schools and academies abroad was held in Taif on July 18, 2000.

In the Washington DC area, the Islamic Saudi Academy was established in 1984 to provide sons and daughters of Saudi nationals, children of the Arab and Muslim community and all other interested applicants with the opportunity to study Islam and the Arabic language. The Academy provides an educational environment in accordance with the principles of Islam, fosters superior academic achievement, and prepares the students to play a constructive role in their society. It is an independent, non-profit educational institution, funded by the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It does not receive contributions from any source.

Resource: Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington, D.C.