These specifications relate to building plans, sites of schools, safety regulations and licensing procedures of schools built either at vacant plots or at sites designated for them or changing buildings constructed for other purposes into schools, according to a circular sent by the ministry to municipalities all over the Kingdom.
Regarding the conversion of an existing building into a school facility, a full-fledged building plan of the existing building approved by an engineering consultancy firm and duly endorsed by the municipality should be presented to the respective municipality.
The building plan should be enclosed with a report from the engineering office about the building’s fitness together with an approval from the educational authorities.
The ministry also directed that the original title deed of the land should be enclosed with the application form for the construction of a school building at a vacant plot. All procedures for issuing a license for the construction of school buildings as well as safety requirements from the Civil Defense shall be completed before starting construction work. It is permitted to build two upper story buildings at plots designated for the construction of educational facilities.
As for open spaces not designated for the construction of school buildings, the elevation can be decided in accordance with existing building rules and regulations prevailing in that region.
Construction of schools on such sites should be strictly in line with the safety and security rules. The building should be at least 50 meters away from major commercial road intersections. The distance from the nearby fuel station and gas station will be 20 meters. There should be a minimum space of 900 square meters for kindergarten, 2,500 square meters for elementary schools, 3,500 square meters for intermediate schools, 5,000 square meters for secondary schools and 7,500 square meters for school compounds.
There should also be at least one parking area for each class of kindergarten while there should be two for each elementary class, three for intermediate and five for secondary schools.
