Saudi Push Boosts Student Digital & AI Skills

Saudi Arabia is expanding a wide set of programs to build digital and innovation skills among students, from universities down to primary schools, as part of a national effort to prepare young people for a technology-driven economy.

The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology is launching the National AI Skills Passport program through the national eLearning platform FutureX, opening registration to learners aged 16 and above. The program is set to begin on 26 February 2026, delivered fully online with free registration and no published fees for university students. The ministry also operates the National Future Skills Portal, offering free or subsidized training in digital skills and innovation, accessible through standard single sign-on and aligned with the national Digital Skills Framework.

At the school level, the Ministry of Education is introducing new curricula from 2026 focused on programming, artificial intelligence, data analysis, cybersecurity, and digital innovation, using project-based learning. A pilot rollout begins in 500 schools from September 2026, with full implementation targeted by 2028. The reforms are backed by a 15 billion SAR investment covering teacher training, school equipment, and 50 digital excellence centers. The new curricula allocate about 30% of classroom time to digital activities and make digital-skills subjects mandatory from the primary level.

A nationwide public-school AI curriculum is being rolled out to cover roughly 6 million students, integrating AI fundamentals, machine learning concepts, and real-world applications into core subjects. To support this, the Ministry and the National Institute for Educational Professional Development are training between 100,000 and 180,000 teachers by 2026. The Madrasati e-learning platform is also being updated with interactive, game-based, and AI-enhanced content, including "Hour of Artificial Intelligence in Education" credentials.

For families across Riyadh, Jeddah, and beyond, the programs signal broader, mostly free access to future-ready skills, helping students and teachers keep pace with a rapidly changing digital job market.

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