RIYADH, 31 July — Education Minister Muhammad Al-Rasheed has released a set of guidelines for the opening and closure of schools in the Kingdom, according to a statement issued by Ibrahim Al-Dorais, secretary-general of the Higher Committee for Educational Policy.
The guidelines stipulate that secondary, intermediate or elementary schools for boys or girls in a city can be opened only if the school nearest to the proposed new school cannot expand further or absorb more students.
A new school can also be opened if there is no other school in the neighborhood. Another situation that justifies a new school is the availability of no fewer than 120 students. Regulations for village schools are different.
According to the guidelines, schools can be closed if the number of students in an elementary school is not more than 10 even after six years since inception. Any school within 10 kms of other schools where the number of students is under 15 even after six years of its opening will not have the right to continue operating.
A secondary or intermediate school will not be allowed to operate if it has only six students on its rolls even after three years of its opening. (SPA)
