The education minister said public education will continue to be free in both new and old schools owned by the ministry.

:: Saudi Arabia is making efforts to improve the quality of its education sector’s infrastructure by encouraging public-private partnerships, said Education Minister Dr. Hamad bin Mohammed Al-Asheikh.

The Ministry of Education and Tatweer Buildings Co. (a government-owned entity) on Tuesday announced on their websites the list of prequalified investors, who met the prequalifying criteria to bid for the first project of the executive program for encouraging public-private partnerships initiative to boost infrastructure of the education sector. The committee of the executive program was established by a royal decree.

“The executive program aims to increase the quality of infrastructure in the education sector and to create an attractive investment environment in accordance with best international practices,” the education minister said.

“This first project will follow a build, maintain, transfer (BMT) model and will comprise contracting with the private sector to finance, build and maintain 60 schools — 33 schools in Makkah and 27 in Jeddah — on contract.

Fahd Al-Hammad, the CEO of Tatweer Buildings Co., said: “We held a public-private partnership roadshow earlier in 2018, in which 96 companies took part. Around 57 companies expressed their interest in the project.

He appreciated the role of the National Center for Privatization (NCP) in the selection of investors.

The education minister said public education will continue to be free in both new and old schools owned by the ministry by saying; “The ministry is committed to providing high-quality educational services.”

The Council of Ministers recently passed a resolution approving SR400 million annually to support this program.