School Fitness Screening Now Required for New Students

New students entering kindergarten and the first grade of primary school across all regions of the Kingdom must complete a mandatory school fitness screening as a condition for registration in the 1448 AH / 2026–2027 academic year. The screening is carried out by the Ministry of Health in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and the Public Health Authority.

Parents can book appointments electronically through the Sehhaty app: after logging in, open the Appointments section, choose "Book an appointment," select the preferred primary healthcare center and a family medicine clinic, then pick a date and time to confirm the booking. Screenings take place at family medicine clinics in primary healthcare centers and designated school health clinics, and are provided without direct examination fees at Ministry of Health centers.

On the day of the visit, the student must attend with a guardian and present a family ID card or residence permit, along with the original vaccination record. The screening covers a review of the student's and family's medical history, verification of school-age vaccinations under the National Immunization Schedule, measurement of weight, height and BMI, a clinical examination, and vision, hearing, speech and language, and dental checks, followed by health guidance for the family.

Why it matters

The program aims to ensure children are healthy and ready for school, to help determine the appropriate educational path (general or special education), and to support early detection of health problems and preventive care in schools. Screening runs from the start of the current academic year's second semester until the beginning of the following school year, and the completed report is treated as an essential requirement for registration.

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