JEDDAH, 23 November — The ministry of education recently signed 254 contracts worth SR1.26 billion for the establishment of school buildings, said Abdullah Fouzan, deputy minister for school buildings and equipment. The 48 contractors have been assigned plots where new buildings are to be built. These new contracts do not include the 80 projects already under way. The total budget allocation for school projects in the current year is SR1.3 billion, Al-Watan reported yesterday.