Education in Saudi Arabia

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Education in Saudi Arabia

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ministry of Education
Minister of Education	Hamad bin Mohammed Al Al-Sheikh (since 2019)
National education budget
Budget	$53.4 billion (200 Billion SAR)[1]
General details
Primary languages	Arabic
Literacy (2020)
Total	98%[4]
Male	99%[3]
Female	96%[2]
Enrollment
Total	7.5 miilion [5]
Primary	3.8 million
Secondary	1.8 million
Post secondary	3.6 million
Attainment
Post-secondary diploma	71% (2008)[6]

Public education in Saudi Arabia—from primary education through college—is open to every Saudi citizen. Education is the second-largest sector of government spending in Saudi Arabia.^[7] Saudi Arabia spends 8.8% of its gross domestic product on education, which is nearly double the global average of 4.6%.^[8] Saudi Arabia is an Islamic country and therefore Islam is interwoven in every part of society, also in education.^[9] Islamic studies are part of the education system alongside scientific and social studies that vary from educational institution to another.^[10] Important goals of education in Saudi Arabia are to teach the students the economic, religious and social norms of the country. They also want to reduce the high illiteracy.^[11] The education system consists of 3 levels: primary education, intermediate education and secondary education.^[12]

In 1926 the Department of Education was established and in 1957 the first university. Before the King Saud University was founded, many Saudi Arabians went abroad to attend university.^[13] In 1955 the first school for girls was established.^[14]

Saudi Arabia has special institutions for students with severe disabilities and autism.