JEDDAH: The Education Ministry says that it has completed 98 percent of preparations for the new academic year in the Kingdom, a local publication reported.

According to Okaz, Education Minister Azzam Al-Dakhil said at a meeting in Riyadh with assistants of school affairs departments in the governorates and regions of the country that the ministry was fortunate to have on its staff qualified manpower who have good capabilities to find suitable solutions to overcome problems and obstacles.

The minister emphasized his keenness to meet these cadres capable of developing the mechanisms of work and making positive changes in the education field at large. He thanked them and hoped the ministry could meet all the needs of the education departments in the various regions of the Kingdom.

The meeting discussed a number of issues, including the general affairs of teachers, the workload, the reception of applications of candidates for educational jobs for males and females, the issue of opening Qur’an memorization classes in schools and a project being implemented by the Education Ministry in cooperation and coordination with the Defense Ministry in addition to other relevant matters.

Sami Al-Saeed of the student services department said a number of contracts has been signed to transport students to special education, and to provide them suitable nutrition starting from the first day of school.

“The task was entrusted to Tatweer Education Holding Co. Contracts were signed with 59 offices for the benefit of about 4 million male and female students.