Saudi Education System and Its Growth

The education system of Saudi Arabia has gone through an amazing change after the kingdom was established in 1932. Education was only available for a few people, who were wealthy and living in the major parts of the country. Today, the education system is based on 8 private and 24 public universities with around 25ooo schools and also consists of other institutions and colleges. Now, the education is available for all the public with free books, education and health services. 

The trend of conservative mentality has changed a little and they are opting the modern education system in the country to compete with the world. This diversifying trend prepares the citizen to take their active role in all fields of life and will change the current scenario of lavish and relax mentality of the people. The Quran and the teachings of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H) always forced the people to get as much education as they could and emphasizes the importance of the education. 

After the origin of Islam in 632 AD, Muslims formed schools, colleges and universities that were different at that time in the world. When Europe was considered in the dark ages and there is no culture of education, the Islamic world become a center of learning and making great efforts in the field of science, astrology, art, philosophy and medicine, which resembles that Islam is always in favor of education. 

The methods, which were followed later by the Europe, all were invented by the Muslim Scholar and Scientists and all that was the forts of Muslim scholars. Now, the scenario is different and Muslims are very far in the competition of education and learning of modern techniques. The whole planning of keeping them behind the race was done with planning. 

The primary education was set up in the year of 1932 in Saudi Arabia. In 1945, the founder of the country King Abdul-Aziz bin Abdur Rehman had encouraged a lot by introducing an extensive program of schools in the kingdom. Six years later, the efforts started to grow and there were 226 schools with the total of 29,887 students. 

The First University with the name of the King Saud University was formed in Riyadh in 1957. The Ministry of education was built in 1954 and then the ministry of higher education in the year 1975. The first government school for girls was established in 1964 and by the end of 1990s, girls schools were established in every part of the country. Today, the education level is almost equal between males and females.