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Saudi Arabia shuts down schools for charging unauthorised fees

Ministry says 17 international schools closed down, 3 suspended and “punitive measures” imposed on 88 in 2013-14

By Staff writer
Students line-up as they ente their classroom on the first day of the academic year for public schools in Dubai on September 27, 2009. Many students were still absent as parents remain reluctant to send their children to school from fear of swine flu. (Karim Sahib/AFP/Getty Images)
Students line-up as they ente their classroom on the first day of the academic year for public schools in Dubai on September 27, 2009. Many students were still absent as parents remain reluctant to send their children to school from fear of swine flu. (Karim Sahib/AFP/Getty Images)

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Education has reportedly shut down or fined more than 100 private and international schools and for charging parents unauthorised fees.

Some schools also had violated administrative, financial and technical regulations, Arab News reported.

The ministry has been cracking down on private and international schools that do not adhere to regulations, particularly in terms of raising school fees.

Education Ministry spokesman Mubarak Al Osaimi said the ministry closed 17 foreign schools during this academic year and suspended three others for a year.

“The closure included 12 private schools, and punitive measures were imposed on 88 private schools which were in violation of the Ministry’s regulations,” Al Osaimi said.

He said the heavy-handed approach was the ministry’s attempt to ensure quality in the kingdom’s education system.

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