Secretary-General Muhammad Al-Ghamdi said the bill for the proposed NCAPE contains eight chapters and was passed with a majority of votes on the recommendations made by the council’s educational affairs and scientific research committee.

He said the center would aim to improve the quality of public education by monitoring the performance of public education institutions through the evaluation of the standard of curricula, output of staff and achievements of students both in and out of the classroom.

Such a center will be a national body that would enjoy legal status in the supervision of educational institutions in the Kingdom, Al-Ghamdi said, adding that the center will function under the umbrella of the Supreme Education Council.

The functions of the center would include a wide range of activities, such as planning of educational policies and strategies, monitoring building performance indicators, evaluating the public education system, its curriculum and its scheme of work, preparing the calendar of events for public education institutions, conducting examinations, management of finances and determining professional standards in various disciplines of education.

It is also expected to determine the accreditation programs of institutions affiliated with various public institutes in the Kingdom.

Subsequently, on the recommendations made by its committee for Islamic affairs and the judiciary, the council approved the draft memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance and Sudan’s Ministry of Guidance and Endowment in the field of Islamic affairs.

Al-Ghamdi said the MOU is aimed at developing and strengthening cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Sudan by focusing on new areas of cooperation between the two countries.