Saudi Education Reforms: Flexible Teacher Hours, AI, Promotions

Saudi Arabia is rolling out a package of education reforms that reshape teacher working hours, expand artificial intelligence in schools, and reward tens of thousands of staff with promotions ahead of the new academic year.

Under the revised system, schools will no longer follow a single fixed start-and-finish time applied uniformly across the country. Instead, working hours are tied to each school's approved daily timetable and operational plan. Teachers may leave once they have completed their assigned duties, including teaching, grading, and supervision.

AI in classrooms and admin

The Ministry of Education is introducing AI tools designed to cut administrative workload for teachers, freeing more time for classroom work. AI is also being added to the curriculum, with 50 new AI units set to be taught in the upcoming academic year, giving students earlier exposure to the technology.

On the workforce side, promotions were announced for more than 37,000 education and administrative employees. This includes about 28,000 educational staff and roughly 9,500 administrative staff, in a move aimed at recognising performance and career progression across the sector.

The reforms also enforce a strict ban on teachers working outside their areas of specialisation, ensuring subjects are taught by qualified specialists.

For families across the Kingdom, the changes point to a more flexible and technology-focused school environment. Linking hours to each school's timetable is expected to give administrators greater control over daily operations, while the specialisation rule and expanded AI content aim to raise the quality of teaching in classrooms.

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