RIYADH: Serious steps have been taken towards “humanizing” schools and improving the educational environment, helping raise the quality of learning, Saudi Arabia Education Minister Yousef Al-Benyan has said.

The minister was speaking during “Promising Opportunities and Future Foresight for the Nonprofit Sector,” the main session of the second Nonprofit Sector Forum in Education and Training taking place in Riyadh.

The two-day event, hosted by the Ministry of Education, ended on Wednesday. Taking the theme “Qualitative Partnerships and Sustainable Solutions,” it was attended by government officials and stakeholders in education and training, as well as non-profit sector representatives.

The minister said that the school environment accounted for roughly one-third of the factors influencing educational outcomes, alongside curricula and teachers.

“We have begun improving the humanization of schools and are working to leverage the ministry’s programs to support the educational environment within an integrated vision that seeks to provide a healthy and stimulating environment within schools,” he said.

He added that the non-profit sector was a key partner, alongside the public and private sectors, in developing education and achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030. 

The ministry was working to develop teachers through capacity-building programs and ensure the quality of outcomes, said Al-Benyan, highlighting the establishment of a national center for curriculum development for the first time, in partnership with experts and specialized institutions. 

He also talked about the launch of initiatives to improve the educational environment and create attractive and stimulating school facilities, in addition to strengthening governance and accountability to ensure the sustainability of impact and measure returns.

The ministry established the Tatweer foundation to support the needs of teachers and last year signed 18 agreements encompassing more than 2,400 programs. It also implemented initiatives worth more than SR400 million through the Ehsan platform and contributed to providing more than 2,700 scholarships in cooperation with the Martyrs, Missing Persons and Prisoners Fund.

Cabinet decisions have enabled the Ministry of Education, in cooperation with the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, to allocate buildings and sites to non-profit schools using new methods that help expand the scope of support and providing sustainable resources. 

The minister emphasized the importance of programs such as vocational training for teachers through the National Institute for Teacher Development and the National Curriculum Center to enhance the quality of education and promote community partnerships.

The forum also featured a “Volunteer Hour” in which several education, training and non-profit sector officials took part.

Other sessions included “Building Human Capacity in the Non-Profit Sector: Programs and Initiatives,” which discussed linking training programs to the labor market and the role of employers in identifying them.

“Empowerment Across Sectors: Enhancing the Effectiveness of Non-Profit Training” addressed mechanisms for improving the quality of non-profit training and the potential of the national skills system, while “Early Childhood in the Nonprofit Sector: Empowerment Opportunities and Impact Models” reviewed opportunities for expansion and excellence in nonprofit kindergartens. “The Nonprofit Sector and Programs for People with Disabilities” focused on the reality and expectations of nonprofit organizations in programs for people with disabilities.

The first day of the forum featured three specialized workshops addressing services provided by the National Center for Strategic Partnerships to empower nonprofit entities, while around 50 exhibitors the "Generation Alpha: Research Insights for Understanding the Next Generation and Formulating Inspiring Educational Programs" workshop by Ithra Center, and the "Empowering Nonprofit Kindergartens: Practical Steps" workshop.

About 50 exhibitors presented the opportunities they offer for collaboration in the education sector.