Education Department directors across the country have been granted extensive powers by the Education Ministry to impose disciplinary sanctions against wrongdoers as well as the ability to halt any punitive measures.

The step follows a decree by the ministry, in which directors were given further jurisdiction in their area, in order to ease bureaucracy in the education system and provide more flexibility in the decision-making process.

The recent order, issued by Education Minister Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, extended the powers granted to education directors at supervisory and executive levels.

This will include 83 new provisions for education directors at a regional level and 82 new competences for education directors at the governorates.

These powers have granted regional education directors the right to withdraw projects from contractors who have breached their contractual obligations.

They were also given the competences to approve evening study applications submitted by their employees, and to work extra hours for a period that does not exceed 10 days per month, each time.

Among these new competences, directors can also mandate the process of casting and awarding bids, procurement orders and the implementation of works and services, including building new school facilities, as well as appointing workers and give them promotions in accordance with the system of civil service.

New committees assigned directly by the directors will also be able to monitor construction work maintenance and the renovation of school buildings.

As per the new directives, directors are now empowered also to approve early retirement applications and to accept resignations, to mandate educational supervisors and nominate employees to participate in training courses, conferences, seminars and other activities and events.

They can also approve the transfer of teachers to other educational regions in accordance with the school transferring system.