King Abdullah made this comment in a speech at an international conference for achieving comprehensive quality in general education at Inter.Continental Hotel in Riyadh on Saturday. It was delivered on his behalf by Education Minister Prince Faisal bin Abdullah.

"Knowledge is the main source of power. It's the driving force for the society's sustainable development," the king said and reiterated the government's plan to invest more in human resource development. The current budget has allocated SR150 billion for education and training, the largest in history.

He said investment in education would not only boost the country's development but also reduce unemployment. "It is high time we focus our attention on quality education," the king said, stressing the need to develop the capabilities of teachers.