Scholarship program to be market-oriented

RIYADH:

 Minister of Education Ahmed Al-Issa has announced the ministry’s intention to review the Kingdom’s foreign scholarship program and specialities.

“This is in accordance with a plan to focus on specific disciplines in foreign scholarships among Saudis studying in different countries,” Al-Issa said.
He added that the disciplines will also be linked with jobs available in the local job market to rationalize the Kingdom’s expenditure on scholarship students studying abroad.
He said that to ensure this the Ministry of Education (MoE) will seek the cooperation of government agencies by providing jobs to the students before the scholarship stage.
Al-Issa added that the Education Ministry will also work on further development of the program on the private-sector level to maximize results.
He said that the MoE will focus its attention in the new year to raise the level of quality in education in the Kingdom and the development of the educational process at all levels in public or in higher education.
“It will also complete plans and programs designed to support the development of teachers by improving their skills and enhancing their knowledge and the appropriate school services,” he said.
He added that the current Education Ministry budget aims to support educational development in general, pointing out that it will contribute to the completion of national projects and programs.
He also said that the budget, which is an extension of previous budgets, aims to achieve a quantum leap in government performance that would benefit citizens.
He called on all stakeholders to support the Education Ministry’s program on foreign scholarship so that the amount allocated for it won’t only be spent wisely but would also better equip graduates.