National Curriculum Center established as independent body

Saudi Arabia has established the National Curriculum Center as an independent body with its own legal personality and financial and administrative independence, based in Riyadh and organizationally linked to the Minister of Education. The move, approved under Council of Ministers decision number 631 dated 3 Sha'ban 1445 AH, converts the former Curriculum Development Center at the Ministry of Education into a standalone entity, with the option to open branches or offices across the Kingdom as needed.

The Center will be run by a board of directors chaired by the Minister of Education. Membership includes deputy ministers of education, culture, sports, and economy and planning, a representative of the Human Rights Commission, the president of the Education and Training Evaluation Commission, the governor of the Research, Development and Innovation Authority, a member of the Council of University Affairs, a representative from the private or non-profit education sector, and an expert member in the Center's field of work.

The Center's tasks include developing national curricula that meet development requirements and national targets using modern scientific and educational methods, preparing the national curriculum strategy, and approving the national curriculum framework. It will also build the policies and standards governing curriculum development and act as a national expert house and scientific reference for the field. The board approves the Center's policies, frameworks, standards and regulations, and may appoint advisory committees of specialists for technical support.

The Center has an independent annual budget issued in line with State general budget procedures, and its employees are subject to the Labor Law and the Social Insurance Law rather than civil service regulations. A technical committee has been formed at the Ministry of Education — with representatives from the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, the General Organization for Social Insurance, and the new Center — to manage the transfer of employees and assets. Relevant laws and decisions will be reviewed and any needed amendments proposed within twelve months of the decision.

For families and educators across Riyadh, Jeddah and beyond, the new body signals a more focused, expert-led approach to shaping what students learn in the coming years.

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