An official source at Takafol Charity Organization, which is affiliated to the Education Ministry, said the number excluded all foreign students and all Saudi students studying at private schools because of the large number of needy students at government schools.

He noted that a number of provinces had not yet entered data about their needy students in the Nur computer system of the organization, which registers the names of needy men and women students and the banks nearest to them. “Therefore, the number of needy students maybe much higher than this,” he added.

According to the source, Feb. 22 will be the last date for registering needy students who are eligible to receiving assistance from the organization.

The source said the executive committee of the organization decided to limit its assistance to the most needy students, otherwise the number of beneficiaries would be too big and the amount of financial assistance too small.

He explained that each school had a special Takafol committee headed by the school principal and comprising at least six other members. “These committees will decide the number of needy students at each school,” he explained.

Targeting more than 33,000 male and female schools all over the Kingdom, Takafol is considered the single largest charity organization in Saudi Arabia.

It depends in its income on the voluntary donations of the schoolteachers. There are forms for each interested man or woman teacher to fill in, asking for certain monthly pay cuts to be given to the organization to spend on needy students.

In addition to financial assistance, the organization also extends school bags, uniforms, sportswear and meals. It also holds training sessions on various technical, vocational and handicraft works.

The organization, which is financially and administratively independent from the ministry, represents a channel for the ministry’s employees and other sectors of the society through which they can assist needy students, especially the orphans.