SR 102 bn to be spent on schoolteachers, staff

JEDDAH: About 87 percent of this year’s education budget of SR 118.43 billion has been set aside for paying salaries of teachers and other employees, Education Minister Prince Faisal bin Abdullah announced yesterday.
He said salaries of employees would take a lion’s share of SR 102.65 billion from the annual budget. This year’s education budget, which accounts for 14.22 percent of the total, is SR 17.43 billion more than last year.
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah unveiled the SR 820 billion budget, the largest in the Kingdom’s history, on Dec. 29, 2012 during a special Cabinet session.
Prince Faisal thanked King Abdullah and Crown Prince Salman for their generous support to the education sector and giving priority to investment in the national cadre.
“Education has made rapid strides during the past years in terms of constructing necessary infrastructure, training teachers and developing academic programs,” the prince said.
He said the number of employees in the education sector reached 524,745 while those in administration was 170,722. “We have allocated SR 215 million for student activities, SR 30 million more than last year,” he pointed out.
Prince Faisal said the ministry has allocated SR 5.36 billion for 2,403 new educational projects including 382 school buildings and renovation of 2,000 school buildings, and SR 800 million for ensuring safety and security.
For training, the ministry has set aside SR 80 million and SR 27.74 million for research and studies. An amount of SR 1.62 billion has been set aside for operation, maintenance and cleaning contracts.
“The ministry is committed to implement its projects following international standards and quality,” the prince said, adding that the ministry would take action against those contractors who delay its projects.
In a related development, Social Affairs Minister Yousuf Al-Othaimeen said the national budget has allocated SR 32.45 billion for his ministry to support the poor, orphans, divorcees and other needy citizens across the country.
He said employees’ salaries would take SR 1.68 billion from the budget while SR 29 billion have been allocated for operational expenses. “We have set aside SR 1.28 billion for new projects and SR 440.54 million for operation, maintenance and cleaning contracts,” he added.
The ministry has allocated SR 23.5 billion for pension and assistance to social insurance beneficiaries, which is SR 3.5 billion more than last year. “Most of this fund comes from the Zakat revenue,” he pointed out.
As much as SR 3.79 billion has been set aside to support people of special needs, SR 30 million for medical equipment and appliances, SR 450 million to support charitable societies, and SR 50 million for home care of the handicapped. “We have made allocations to build 13 centers, offices and branches of the ministry in various parts of the country,” he added.