The government of Saudi Arabia in partnership with private sector enterprises will build and operate 1,600 new schools in the Kingdom. 60 schools will be built in Makkah and Jeddah, as part of the first phase of the project according to the Saudi Gazette.
The project was approved by HRH King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Council of Economic Affairs and Development, and the Ministry of Finance. Speaking at a conference focused on investment opportunities in the Kingdom, Ahmed Al-Issa, Saudi Arabia’s education minister said that the project would be supervised by the ministers of finance and economy and planning.
“We hope that the project will lure investors and businessmen to participate with us not only in this project but also in all the other projects which will soon be announced. We are aiming at supplementing the direct government support for the school buildings by the partnership with the private sector in the construction and operation of the schools,” said Al-Issa.
The project is the largest of its kind in the region and will see the construction of kindergarten and primary facilities, along with intermediate and secondary schools for boys and girls.