Authority to assess schools’ performance

JEDDAH: The Council of Ministers yesterday decided to establish an education evaluation authority to assess the performance of both public and private schools in the country.
“It will assess educational institutions regularly on the basis of certain criteria,” a Cabinet statement said, adding that assessment would be carried out either by the authority
or by experts appointed by the body.
The Riyadh-based authority will conduct standardized national tests for each educational level, the Cabinet said. Its governor will chair its board of directors.
The board includes representatives from the Ministry of Education, National Commission for Academic Accreditation and Assessment, National Center for Assessment in Higher Education, Saudi Educational and Psychological Society, Technical and Vocational Training Corporation, four experts in the field and a representative from the private sector.
Culture and Information Minister Abdul Aziz Khoja said the powers and missions related to academic assessment would be transferred from the Education Ministry to the authority.
However, the assessment of private education will remain with the ministry in order to unify supervision of general education.
“The committee of experts at the Cabinet along with other related agencies will review the authority’s bylaw,” Khoja said. Its governor will report directly to the chairman of the Supreme Education Council.
The Cabinet, which was chaired by Vice Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Prince Salman, reviewed the latest regional and international developments.
It praised a recent Arab League decision condemning all forms of killing of and violence against the Syrian people, describing them as crimes against humanity. The Arab League meeting in Cairo had called for an end to the bloodbath in Syria.
Spelling out the Cabinet decisions, Khoja said it endorsed the military cooperation agreement with Jordan. The agreement was signed in Riyadh on Nov. 8, 2009. It also approved the final accounts of Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities for 2011.
“The Cabinet endorsed another agreement with Kazakhstan for the avoidance of double taxation and prevention of tax evasion,” Khoja said, adding that the agreement was signed in Astana on June 7, 2011.
The Cabinet appointed Khaled bin Omar Abdu Rabb ambassador, Musaed bin Ibrahim Al-Sulaim minister plenipotentiary at the Foreign Ministry; Ahmed bin Muhammad Al-Abdul Qader administrative adviser at the Ministry of Higher Education; Omar bin Ahmed Al-Omar administrative adviser at the Supreme Judiciary Council; and Ibrahim bin Saleh Al-Hanaki director of information technology at the Department of Zakat & Revenue.