4.5M Students Return as New Education Law Begins

More than 4.5 million male and female students returned to public school classrooms across Saudi Arabia on Sunday, 23 August 2026 (10 Rabiʿ I 1448 AH), marking the start of the 2026–2027 academic year under a new legal framework governing public education.

The return was organized in phases. Schools in most regions opened on 23 August, while public schools in Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah, and Taif began classes one week later, on Sunday 30 August 2026. Teachers and staff in those directorates returned earlier to prepare for students, a step designed to ease logistics and staffing.

A new legal framework

The academic year is being rolled out under the new General Education Law (نظام التعليم العام), approved by Royal Decree based on Council of Ministers Resolution No. 103 dated 22/01/1448 AH (7 July 2026) and published in the Umm al-Qura Official Gazette on 10/02/1448 AH (24 July 2026). The law has a 180-day period before coming fully into force, with a commencement date of 20 January 2027, after which any conflicting provisions are repealed.

Spanning 68 articles across nine chapters, the law covers nursery through Grade 12 in public, private, foreign-curriculum, virtual, and specialized schools. It confirms compulsory education from age 6 to age 15 and places a strong focus on governance, quality assurance, and accountability for the performance of schools and education authorities.

Calendar and classroom updates

The 2026–2027 year follows a two-semester model that replaced the earlier three-semester format from 2025–2026, with longer terms and fewer fragmented breaks to improve instructional continuity. Classes run through 24 June 2027, with the first term continuing until the National Day break around 23 September 2026. Curriculum changes include updates to 22 subjects.

For families across Riyadh, Jeddah, and beyond, the new year brings a clearer academic calendar and a modernized system aimed at raising education quality and consistency nationwide.

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