The Secretary-General of the Ministry of Education for Educational Affairs, Dr. Nawaf Al-Ajarmeh, confirmed that the start of school for teaching staff one week before students arrive is a fundamental pillar to ensure a smooth and organized launch of the new academic year. This week is dedicated to completing vital tasks that ensure the full readiness of schools.
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Al-Ajarmeh explained that these tasks include preparing the classroom and school environments, as well as various facilities, to welcome students in a suitable atmosphere. They also include receiving, inventorying, and organizing school textbooks to ensure they are delivered to students on the first day without any delay. Additionally, this week is used to conduct makeup exams for students in subjects they failed prior to the start of the new academic year and extract their results, as well as prepare lists and plans, distribute class sections, register transferred students, and prepare annual and semester teaching plans by teachers.
In this context, he noted that the Ministry has followed the discussions raised regarding the school start date for the 2026/2027 academic year. He clarified that starting school on August 23rd is not a new decision, but rather a date implemented for three consecutive academic years, in alignment with the Ministry's educational plans and to meet the requirements of the academic year.
He pointed out that the preparation of the school calendar was based on the provisions of the Education and Human Resources Development Law, which was approved by both the House of Representatives and the Senate and adorned with the Royal Decree. Paragraph (1/A) of Article (12) states that "the actual school days for the academic year in educational institutions shall be determined to be no less than (200) days, specified in the school calendar prepared by the Ministry."
Al-Ajarmeh added: "The school calendar came out of this legal commitment to ensure the minimum number of actual school days is met, while taking into account official holidays, vacations, and the requirements for implementing various educational programs."
He continued: "This date also comes within the framework of the Ministry's implementation of a sustainable national program to support student learning, aimed at addressing learning loss, strengthening basic skills, and raising academic achievement, thereby ensuring that students receive more effective and quality learning opportunities."
Al-Ajarmeh stressed that the Ministry based the continuation of this approach on scientific and objective results. The Ministry implemented diagnostic surveys to measure the impact of remedial programs, and the results showed a tangible improvement in students' achievement levels, particularly in reading and arithmetic skills, compared to the baseline prior to the program's execution. This confirms the success of remedial interventions and the importance of continuing them to achieve further improvement in learning outcomes.
He expressed the Ministry's appreciation for the great national role played by male and female teachers, emphasizing that all decisions regarding the school calendar are made according to clear legal and educational standards, balancing the requirements of the educational process with the students' right to a quality education that aligns with the best educational practices.
