Education in the Reign of King Abdulaziz

Education in the Reign of King Abdulaziz was the process of organizing, developing, and expanding education throughout the country. It began after the annexation of Hejaz by the Founding King Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud in 1925, with the aim of spreading knowledge and learning among members of society, in addition to raising their awareness of religious matters and serving their homeland. The first curriculum was implemented in the reign of King Abdulaziz in 1926.

King Abdulaziz paid special attention to education, particularly after the annexation of Hejaz and his entry into Makkah Al-Mukarramah, along with the establishment of security in the region. In 1925, he held an educational meeting with scholars and those interested in knowledge and education in Makkah Al-Mukarramah. The outcomes of this meeting included discussing the means to support and expand education, reviewing educational services with the possibility of improving and developing them, and establishing the “Directorate of General Education” to be responsible for the scientific movement and its expansion.

The Directorate of General Education was established in March 1926, marking the official beginning of modern education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It was divided into four main departments: administration, education, inspection, and examinations. The Directorate was granted oversight over all schools and their development, while the Director of Education at the time was given all necessary powers.

The Directorate of General Education provided a program for all educational stages and opened new schools across Saudi Arabia, which at that time was divided into seven regions. Each region was overseen by an education commissioner responsible for organizing, developing, and advancing education in his area. The number of schools rose to about twenty-seven, including elementary schools, preparatory schools, or both. Around 4,418 students enrolled in these schools, in addition to fifty-seven students who enrolled in the Saudi Scientific Institute. The Directorate also worked on unifying and guiding curricula in line with the conditions of the country. The first curriculum was implemented in the reign of King Abdulaziz in 1926, and it was based on religious subjects as well as diverse sciences that contributed to serving the homeland.

In 1927, an educational council was established under the name “Council of Education,” chaired by the Director of Education. The council was responsible for overseeing the educational system in Hejaz, and its work was based on two foundations:

- Unifying education in Hejaz and making primary education compulsory and free.

- Structuring education into four stages: preparatory, primary, secondary, and higher education.

In 1932, the powers of the Directorate of General Education were expanded to include supervision of all educational affairs in Saudi Arabia, with the exception of military education. In 1938, an Education Law was issued that abolished previous laws, stipulating the following:

- Granting authority to the Director of Education to be the primary reference within the Directorate.

- Forming the members of the Council of Education from two members of the Directorate of Education and six members appointed by the King’s Deputy General from among those interested in educational affairs.

The tasks of the Council included establishing new schools, approving curricula, sending study missions abroad, supervising final examinations in government schools, and overseeing private schools.

In 1936, the tasks of the Council of Education were amended so that its role was limited to an advisory capacity in technical matters related to education, while all powers were transferred to the Directorate of Education, due to the overlap of responsibilities between the Council and the Directorate.

Founding King, Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud, was keen to provide financial support to contribute to the development of education in various regions of Saudi Arabia. The budget of the “Directorate of General Education” in 1926 amounted to about 5,670 gold pounds, and with expansion and progress, it increased to about SAR20 million in 1954.

The Ministry of Education was established by Royal Decree in 1954 and was entrusted with all the tasks and responsibilities previously undertaken by the Directorate of General Education. Among its responsibilities were delivering knowledge and learning to various regions of Saudi Arabia, working to combat illiteracy, formulating educational policy and pedagogical programs aimed at developing education, and providing a sufficient number of teachers while also advancing their educational concepts. The ministry also developed a plan to prepare teachers and train them while in service. This plan was based on the establishment of elementary institutes, secondary teachers’ institutes, evening teachers’ institutes, and the organization of summer courses in Taif specifically for “emergency teachers,” which contributed to their training and encouraged them to advance and innovate.

The number of schools taken over by the “Directorate of General Education” was about five, all of which were located in the Hejaz region. Education in these schools consisted of two stages: the preparatory stage, lasting three years, and the primary stage, lasting four years. Admission to the primary stage required obtaining a preparatory certificate. The educational movement then expanded in the reign of King Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud, represented by the Directorate of General Education, to include several stages and specializations, namely:

In 1942, the Directorate of General Education merged the preparatory and primary stages into one stage under the name “Primary Stage,” with a duration of six years. The Directorate’s role was not limited to opening schools in cities but also extended to rural and remote areas, where schools were known as “village schools” since 1927.

Village schools followed curricula that differed from those taught in the cities. They usually had one teacher, or two teachers if the number of students exceeded thirty. The duration of study in these schools was about four years. In 1956, the system of village schools was abolished, and curricula were unified for all students across Saudi Arabia.

Two primary schools, Al-Mansuriyyah and Al-Nasriyyah, were established in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah in 1925. King Abdulaziz Primary School was established in Makkah Al-Mukarramah in 1926, and in the same year, other schools were opened, including Al-Saudiyyah, Al-Faisaliyyah, and Al-Muhammadiyyah. As for the Princes’ School in Riyadh, it began operating in 1937 as a government school exclusively for the sons of King Abdulaziz. By the end of the reign of King Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud, education had reached all regions of Saudi Arabia. The number of primary schools had reached about 326, with around sixty thousand students enrolled and 1,652 teachers employed.

The first government school for post-primary education was established under the name “Islamic Institute” in Makkah Al-Mukarramah in 1926. In 1928, it was reorganized and reopened under the name “Saudi Scientific Institute.” Its curricula focused on religious education, with a study period of three years in addition to one preparatory year before entering the institute. Its main objective was to prepare teachers for the primary stage.

In 1947, it was decided to extend the study period at the institute to five years. After completing the third year, students would obtain the first certificate, which was specific to the preparatory section. After completing the fifth year, they would obtain the second certificate, which was specific to the secondary teachers’ section. After that, students had the option to join the teaching profession or enroll in colleges.

Among the admission requirements for the Saudi Scientific Institute were that the applicant be knowledgeable in the section on acts of worship, proficient in basic Arabic grammar, and familiar with spelling, arithmetic, and handwriting. The Directorate also allocated a monthly allowance of about two pounds for each student as support and assistance. It then opened a branch of the institute in Unaizah and another in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah. In 1935, a section was added to the institute for the preparation of secondary school teachers.

The opening of the “School for Mission Preparation” in 1936 marked the beginning of modern secondary education in Makkah Al-Mukarramah. The school aimed to prepare students to pursue their university studies abroad. Classes began on March 20, 1937, and included one preparatory year followed by three academic years. Admission requirements were that the applicant be Saudi, hold a certificate from the Saudi Scientific Institute or its equivalent, and commit to and pledge adherence to the missions system.

The study period at the “School for Mission Preparation” was later modified to five years, preceded by a preparatory year. Admission was also opened to those holding a primary school certificate. The program was divided into two stages: the first was the Secondary Competency Stage, lasting three years, and the second was the Secondary Stage, lasting two years. Admission to the Secondary Stage required completing the Secondary Competency Stage. The duration of the Secondary Stage was later modified to three years. In the first two years, students studied general cultural subjects, at the end of which they received the General Culture Certificate. In the third year, students were allowed to specialize in either literary studies or scientific studies. In 1954, the system was revised again so that specialization began after the first year, and the General Culture Certificate was abolished.

The Directorate of General Education established the Industrial Education School in Jeddah City in 1949. Admission required that the applicant hold a primary school certificate. After that, about seven additional industrial schools were established in Jeddah, Riyadh, Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, and Dammam. Students in these schools were granted a financial stipend ranging between SAR150 and SAR200.

In 1953, the Intermediate Commercial School was established in Makkah Al-Mukarramah to qualify its graduates to work in commerce, accounting, and economics in banks and companies. In the later years of the reign of the Founding King Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud, the Industrial School was established in Riyadh City in 1954.

The Directorate of General Education paid attention to adult education in Saudi Arabia by opening a night section at the Saudi Scientific Institute in Makkah Al-Mukarramah. However, it was closed after three months due to low enrollment. The Directorate continued its efforts and, in 1932, opened a number of night schools specialized in adult education in Makkah Al-Mukarramah, where several graduates of the Saudi Scientific Institute taught. Later, night schools with diverse curricula were opened, such as the Night School for Teaching English in 1937, the Night School for Improving Handwriting in 1949, and the Teachers’ Night School in 1950.

After citizens from various regions of Saudi Arabia began enrolling in night schools, the Directorate of General Education opened schools in Jeddah, Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, Makkah Al-Mukarramah, Taif, and Al-Ahsa. These schools were affiliated with primary schools and followed the primary stage system until 1953, when the Directorate developed curricula and systems tailored to the needs and circumstances of adult learners.

The government of King Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud also enabled citizens who wished to support adult education and literacy. In 1939, the Council of Education issued a regulation to form a committee for encouraging night schools. After that, financial and technical support was extended to all private schools concerned with adult education, such as Abdullah Al-Qur’awi’s schools in the southwestern part of Saudi Arabia and Al-Najah Private School.

State support, along with community contributions, helped expand voluntary efforts for adult education across Saudi Arabia at the time. This contributed to the creation of programs and regulations dedicated to adult education and literacy. King Abdulaziz’s support was not limited to adult education and literacy in cities but also included sending scholars to tribal sheikhs to teach them religious matters, along with the basics of reading and writing.

After the annexation of Hejaz, King Abdulaziz provided support to private schools in the region, in addition to encouraging and assisting them. For example, in 1925, he visited Al-Falah Private School and granted it one hundred pounds, ten sheep, and six sacks of rice. He also gave Al-Fakhriyyah School fifty pounds, six sheep, and four sacks of rice. In 1939, Abdullah Al-Qur’awi’s schools were opened in the southern part of Saudi Arabia, and King Abdulaziz granted about sixty teachers monthly salaries ranging between SAR60 and SAR80.

Among the tasks of the Directorate of General Education after its establishment in 1926 was the supervision, development, organization, and support of private education. In the same year, the Directorate issued an announcement stipulating the issuance of licenses for the establishment of private schools, as well as special licenses for teachers wishing to work in them. King Abdulaziz also provided subsidies to private schools amounting to about OTT66,000. In 1947, the Directorate issued a special regulation concerning private schools, in addition to setting the conditions for their establishment and the rules for their operation.

During the reign of King Abdulaziz, the Directorate of General Education sent graduates of the “School for Mission Preparation” who wished to pursue higher education on scholarships to Arab, American, and European universities to specialize in various sciences such as engineering, medicine, agriculture, literature, science, commerce, and others.

In 1927, the Directorate sent about forty Saudi students to Egypt, and in 1951, about nine students were sent to the United States of America. After that, scholarships were organized annually to various countries around the world, including Egypt, the United States of America, England, Germany, France, Switzerland, and others. With the growing demand for higher education, the Directorate of General Education established three modern higher education institutions in Saudi Arabia : the College of Sharia and Islamic Studies in Makkah Al-Mukarramah in 1950, followed by the College of Teachers in Makkah Al-Mukarramah, and then the College of Sharia in Riyadh, specifically in the last year of the life of King Abdulaziz.

The Directorate of General Education paid attention to the qualification and preparation of Saudi teachers. In 1926, it opened a post-primary school under the name “Saudi Scientific Institute,” dedicated to preparing and qualifying teachers to teach at the primary level. With the growing need for national teachers and the Directorate’s inability to meet the increasing demand, reliance was placed on citizens who could read and write and were willing to take up teaching. This stage in teacher preparation was known as “emergency teachers.” Later, a branch of the institute was opened in Unaizah and another in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah. In 1953, the name of the institute was changed to “Elementary Teacher Training Institutes,” and in the same year, the Directorate opened three new institutes.