General Education Law

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  • By the help of Allah Almighty
    We, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
    King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
    Based on Article (Seventy) of the Basic Law of Governance, issued by Royal Order No. (A/90) dated 27/8/1412 AH.
    Based on Article (Twenty) of the Council of Ministers Law, issued by Royal Order No. (A/13) dated 3/3/1414 AH.
    Based on Article (Eighteen) of the Shura Council Law, issued by Royal Order No. (A/91) dated 27/8/1412 AH.
    After reviewing the Shura Council decisions No. (343/28) dated 17/11/1447 AH, and No. (479/41) dated 16/1/1448 AH.
    After reviewing the Council of Ministers decision No. (103) dated 22/1/1448 AH.

  • We decree the following:

    • First: Approval of the General Education System, according to the attached text.
      Second: The General Education Affairs Council shall exercise its competencies stipulated in the system referred to in item (First) of this decree, from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
      Third: The cancellation of the Adult Education and Literacy System, issued by Royal Decree No. (M/22) dated 9/6/1392 AH, provided that the regulatory provisions stipulated in this system shall continue to apply until the General Education Affairs Council approves the necessary regulatory provisions in this regard, in accordance with its competencies stipulated in the system referred to in item (First) of this decree, within a period not exceeding (one year) from the date of the system’s enforcement.
      Fourth: It is incumbent upon His Highness the Prime Minister, the Ministers, and the heads of the concerned independent agencies—each within their jurisdiction—to implement this decree.

Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

  • The Council of Ministers

  • After reviewing the correspondence received from the Royal Court No. 5057 dated 16/1/1448 AH, regarding the draft General Education System.

  • After reviewing the aforementioned draft system.

  • After reviewing memoranda No. (790) dated 5/3/1445 AH, No. (2580) dated 16/7/1446 AH, No. (181) dated 18/1/1447 AH, No. (1228) dated 1/4/1447 AH, No. (1703) dated 6/5/1447 AH, No. (3524) dated 14/10/1447 AH, No. (4181) dated 16/12/1447 AH, No. (124) dated 13/1/1448 AH, and No. (193) dated 20/1/1448 AH, prepared by the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers.

  • After reviewing the minutes prepared by the Council of Economic and Development Affairs No. (9/48/M) dated 3/1/1448 AH.

  • After reviewing the recommendation of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs No. (2-7/47/T) dated 5/7/1447 AH.

  • After considering the Shura Council decisions No. (343/28) dated 17/11/1447 AH, and No. (479/41) dated 16/1/1448 AH.

  • After reviewing the recommendation of the General Committee of the Council of Ministers No. (735) dated 20/1/1448 AH.

  • It is decided as follows:

    • First: Approval of the General Education System, according to the attached text.

    • Second: The General Education Affairs Council shall exercise its competencies stipulated in the system referred to in item (First) of this decision, from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.

    • Third: The cancellation of the Adult Education and Literacy System, issued by Royal Decree No. (M/22) dated 9/6/1392 AH, provided that the regulatory provisions stipulated in this system shall continue to apply until the General Education Affairs Council approves the necessary regulatory provisions in this regard, in accordance with its competencies stipulated in the system referred to in item (First) of this decision, within a period not exceeding (one year) from the date of the system’s enforcement.

    • A draft Royal Decree has been prepared accordingly, its text attached hereto.

    • Fourth: Cancellation of the following:

    • Fifth: Continuation of the regulatory provisions stipulated in the documents referred to in item (Fourth) of this decision until the General Education Affairs Council approves the necessary regulatory provisions in this regard, in accordance with its competencies stipulated in the system referred to in item (First) of this decision, within a period not exceeding (one year) from the date of the system’s enforcement.

    • Sixth: The General Education Affairs Council shall exercise its competence in determining financial benefits, stipulated in paragraph (4) of Article (8) of the system referred to in item (First) of this decision, in coordination with the Ministry of Finance.

    • Seventh: The General Education Affairs Council shall exercise its competence in approving the terms and conditions of contracting with teachers, and approving the unified model for teachers’ employment contracts in governmental educational institutions, stipulated in paragraphs (4) and (10) of Article (8) of the system referred to in item (First) of this decision, in coordination with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.

    • Eighth: The General Education Affairs Council shall exercise its competence in determining the financial fees, stipulated in paragraph (5) of Article (8) of the system referred to in item (First) of this decision, in accordance with the National Framework for Fees and Financial Charges, issued by Council of Ministers decision No. (611) dated 22/8/1447 AH.

    • Ninth: The Ministry of Education, in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, shall study the appropriateness of subjecting members of the administrative body and teachers in educational institutions to the Labor and Social Insurance systems, and report accordingly.

    • Tenth: The Minister of Education and the Minister of Finance shall agree on all matters related to the investment of assets and properties allocated for general education under the Ministry of Education, and the appropriate mechanisms enabling the Ministry to benefit from revenues, fines, and financial fees for works and services collected by the Ministry in accordance with the provisions of the system referred to in item (First) of this decision, in a manner that supports its financial sustainability, without prejudice to the provisions of the Royal Circular Order No. (55685) dated 30/11/1438 AH.

  • Prime Minister

Chapter 1: Definitions and Objectives

Article 1

  • For the purposes of applying this Law, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings set forth opposite each of them, unless the context requires otherwise:

    • Law: General Education Law.
    • Regulations: The executive and organizational provisions issued pursuant to the Law.
    • Minister: Minister of Education.
    • Ministry: Ministry of Education.
    • Council: Council of General Education Affairs.
    • President: President of the Council.
    • General Education: Education up to the end of the twelfth grade.
    • Stages of General Education: Child custody, kindergarten, and grades one through twelve.
    • Early Childhood: Includes education and care provided from the beginning of child custody until the end of the third grade.
    • E-learning: The employment of educational, information, and communication technologies to enhance the efficiency of the educational process in all its forms and to control its quality.
    • Continuing Education: The services and programs of general education provided by the Ministry for lifelong learning for those who have exceeded or are within the compulsory education years.
    • Child Custody Facility: The establishment - governmental or private - designated and equipped to provide care and education services for those in the child custody stage.
    • Kindergarten: The establishment - governmental or private - designated and equipped to provide educational services for those in the kindergarten stage.
    • School: The establishment designated and equipped to provide educational services from the first grade to the twelfth grade.
    • Public School: The school managed by the Ministry, where educational services are provided through the educational programs adopted by the Ministry.
    • Educational Institution: The establishment - governmental or private - that provides educational services for any stage of general education.
    • Private Educational Institution: The establishment owned by the private sector or the non-profit sector, licensed by the Ministry to provide educational services for one or more stages of general education, or to provide educational or pedagogical services for specific groups, such as gifted students, persons with disabilities, and others.
    • Virtual Educational Institutions: The establishment or electronic platform - governmental or private - licensed to provide educational services in the e-learning mode for any stage of general education.
    • Specialized Center: The establishment licensed by the Ministry, with a specified specialized field, serving special groups such as persons with disabilities, gifted students, and other special groups.
    • Teacher: One who is licensed to work in the profession of general education.
    • Administrative Body: Those who perform administrative tasks related to the educational process within the educational institution.
    • Student: One who receives general education.
    • Educational Curriculum: The planned objectives intended to achieve specific educational outcomes acquired by the student through the educational process, verified through assessment.
    • Educational Program: The activity organized within the framework of the educational curriculum to achieve specific objectives in a particular field.
    • Course: The content included in the study plan, studied by the students.

Article 2

  • The law aims to regulate public education affairs to achieve quality and good performance in education to build students religiously, nationally, morally, scientifically, culturally, and skillfully, in a manner that achieves the following:

    • 1- Instilling Islamic creed and faith in God, and reinforcing values derived from the Holy Quran and the Prophetic Sunnah, and pride in the Islamic religion.
    • 2- Enhancing loyalty and obedience to the rulers, belonging to and loving the homeland, commitment to the laws, adherence to them, and emphasizing the importance of the family as the nucleus of society.
    • 3- Consolidating national identity, pride in the homeland’s history and symbols, and knowledge of its geography.
    • 4- Mastering the Arabic language and pride in it.
    • 5- Promoting values of tolerance, peace, and coexistence, respecting human rights, and consolidating values, attitudes, and behaviors that support them.
    • 6- Equipping students with knowledge and skills related to the following aspects: (scientific, environmental, cultural, social, legal, economic, civilizational, and technological) and keeping pace with future developments and requirements.
    • 7- Providing students with knowledge, developing their intellectual awareness, and enhancing skills that strengthen their ability to protect themselves from deviant intellectual currents and trends, and enabling them to consciously deal with media content in its various forms.
    • 8- Developing students’ communication and presentation skills, the ability to build positive human relationships, and enhancing creative and critical thinking abilities, and logical analysis based on inference and problem-solving.
    • 9- Acquiring lifelong learning skills.
    • 10- Increasing the ability in: (research, innovation, invention, and dealing with emerging technologies).
    • 11- Developing love of work, discipline, productivity, awareness of healthy habits, proper dietary behavior, practicing sports, understanding the importance of voluntary work and community service and practicing them, and public safety rules.
    • 12- Learning at least one foreign language and developing its basic skills.

Article 4

1- The compulsory education law starts from the sixth year until the fifteenth year.

2- The Ministry, in coordination with the competent authorities, shall take the legal procedures against anyone who causes a child to be deprived of public education during the compulsory years, or causes the child to drop out of education, in accordance with the relevant laws.

Article 5

Arabic is the primary language for general education, and education in an additional language is permitted in accordance with regulations approved by the Council.

Article 6

Girls' education schools after the early childhood stage shall be independent from boys' education schools. This shall not apply to private educational institutions or some of them, in accordance with regulations set by the Council and approved by the Council of Ministers.

Chapter 2: The Council and the Ministry

Article 7

  • A Council for General Education Affairs shall be established - pursuant to the Law - chaired by the Minister, with membership as follows:

    • 1- The Deputy Minister for General Education as Vice-Chairman.
    • 2- The Deputy Minister of Economy and Planning as a member.
    • 3- The Deputy Minister of Human Resources and Social Development as a member.
    • 4- The Deputy Minister of Finance as a member.
    • 5- The Deputy Minister of Culture as a member.
    • 6- The Deputy Minister of Sports as a member.
    • 7- The Deputy Minister of Investment as a member.
    • 8- The Deputy Minister of Health as a member.
    • 9- The President of the Education and Training Evaluation Commission as a member.
    • 10- Four specialists with expertise in the fields of education, provided that two of them are representatives from the private and non-profit sectors as members.

  • The President shall nominate the members mentioned in paragraph (10) of this article, and their appointment shall be issued by an order from the President of the Council of Ministers, for a period of three years renewable once.

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