Ministry of Education

The Ministry of Education (MoE) is the Saudi Arabian government ministry responsible for regulating primary, secondary and higher education across the Kingdom.

History and Development

Established in 1926 by King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud in the Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd, six years before the unification of Saudi Arabia, the institution was known as the Directorate of Knowledge until 1953 and the Ministry of Knowledge until 2003.

Education Oversight

Following the merger of the General Presidency for Girls Education (GPGE) in 2002 and the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) in 2015, the Ministry of Education became the sole body supervising all schools, universities and colleges in the Kingdom.

Higher Education Policy

The Ministry of Higher Education was established in 1975 under Royal Decree No. 236/1 to implement the Kingdom’s higher education policy. This decision made the Minister of Higher Education responsible for implementing government policy on university education.

University Education and Support

University education received substantial support through the establishment of new universities, scientific and applied colleges, and large budget allocations. The Kingdom’s higher education institutions reached the following numbers, offering scientific and applied specializations across various fields:

• 25 public universities.
• 9 private universities.
• 34 private colleges.