Saudi Arabia Advances Education and Human-Capital Growth

Saudi Arabia has recorded significant progress in education and human-capital development, driven by reforms aligned with Saudi Vision 2030 and the Human Capability Development Programme. A key milestone came in July 2026 with the approval of the General Education Law, which sets a framework for modernising the sector.

The reforms span several areas, including updated curricula, stronger governance, teacher professional development, more equitable access to schooling, expanded digital education, and a sharper focus on skills relevant to the workforce. As part of this push, artificial intelligence has become a mandatory subject across general education in the Kingdom.

To support the shift, more than 13,000 teachers have received specialised AI training, while over 470,000 trainees have benefited from the National Institute for Educational Professional Development platform. At the university level, 79% of Saudi universities have added technology and AI courses to their academic programmes, and more than 30 universities now require AI study for all students regardless of their specialisation.

Unified admissions through Qabool

The Kingdom has also launched Qabool, a unified admission platform used to apply to public universities, technical colleges, and international scholarship programmes. During its first-stage rollout, 315,022 students were admitted through the unified system.

For families across Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and beyond, these changes point to a more connected education journey — from classroom skills in AI and digital tools to a single, streamlined route into higher education. The reforms aim to prepare Saudi students for a fast-changing job market while broadening access to learning opportunities nationwide.

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