The newly appointed Education Minister Dr. Azzam Al-Dakhil said on Thursday that he would soon announce a number of teacher-friendly decisions. He also promised to open some of the files that were on hold for several years.

“I will stand by teachers because it is essential for the benefit of students and to protect the nation’s interest,” the minister said, while stressing the importance of teachers in enhancing the country’s educational standard.

Al-Dakhil said he was happy to meet with regional directors of education and taking selfies with them. “I did not prevent them from taking selfies that have been circulated through the social media,” he added.

He said he also met with a group of students as well as graduates who were waiting for an appointment for the last six years. “I told those graduates that their case would be taken up soon… It made them so happy that they were about to carry me on their shoulders,” he told Al-Arabiya channel.

Speaking about his book “Maa Al-Muallim” (With the Teacher), Al-Dakhil said he does not want to publish it now because of his present position. However, he said he would publish it after executing his vision and ideas with the support of his colleagues.

Al-Dakhil is the first education minister after the two ministries of education and higher education were merged into one ministry through a decree issued by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman.

Dr. Abdelelah Saaty, dean of the College of Business in Rabigh, welcomed the merger decision. However, he said it would increase the Education Ministry’s load. “We hope they would appoint two deputy ministers; one for general education and another for higher education,” he told Arab News.