JEDDAH: The director of education in Jeddah said his department had received 30 new, fully equipped schools by the beginning of this academic year, including boys’ and girls’ primary, intermediate and secondary schools. They have been distributed according to the need of each area.
Abdullah Al-Thaqafi, who was speaking after he inspected a number of schools on the first school day (Saturday), said the beginning of school this year was good, and no technical or organizational observations had been recorded. Al-Thaqafi inspected primary schools’ preparations for the introductory week for the first, second and third grades, which includes several programs.
“All schools in Jeddah have been provided with the necessary equipment and are prepared for receiving pupils,” he said, adding that the department is working on replacing rented school buildings with new ones. The King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Project for Development of General Education (Tatweer) this year included 60 boys’ and girls’ schools in the city, he said.
All Saudis in school age were enrolled in the first grade, as well as a large number of expatriates who were admitted based on vacancies.
Jeddah girls’ education officials, including Educational Supervision Director Nour Baqader and a number of educational supervisors, also carried out inspections at schools. They checked the availability of all technical equipment and other amenities and the implementation of reception and introductory programs for primary grades pupils. Baqader said inspections would continue throughout the first week.
The Education Department assigned 700 educational supervisors to follow up with the first school week.
On Saturday, Director General of education in Makkah region Hamid Al-Sulami opened the primary grades’ introductory week program, which includes 25,000 boy and girl pupils in the western region, at Al-Haramain Primary School in Al-Aziziya district in Makkah.
The program includes the distribution of gifts, drinks and candy, in addition to nametags and leaflets to the new students and their fathers.
Director of the department’s guidance and counseling division Ibrahim Al-Thubaiti said the ministry was strict about implementing the introductory week program at all primary schools. “The aim is to have the pupils start school with a positive attitude,” he said.
Makkah region’s education director said the program helped first-grade children to enter the broader environment of school through a gradual educational program. He thanked school principals for their efforts to make the introductory program a success. However, despite the importance of such programs, the family remains the first educational institution that prepares the child for life, he said.
Jeddah gets 30 new schools this year
