National identity documents are required for the authentication of certificates from international and private schools

The National Center for Curriculum Development in Saudi Arabia has proposed a new draft regulation that would require private and international schools to teach national identity subjects , including Islamic studies, Arabic language, and social studies. This move is part of a broader educational initiative to ensure the instilling of national and religious values ​​in students across all educational systems.

The importance of national identity materials in light of Vision 2030

This decision cannot be viewed in isolation from the broader context of the Kingdom, where strengthening national and Islamic identity is a cornerstone of Saudi Vision 2030. Historically, global education in the region has focused heavily on foreign curricula, sometimes creating a knowledge gap among students regarding their native language and national history. Through this regulation, the Ministry of Education seeks to bridge this gap, emphasizing that openness to the world and modern sciences does not mean abandoning the cultural and civilizational roots of Saudi society.

Details of the regulations and implementation mechanisms

The new regulations aim to standardize policies for implementing national identity materials across all schools offering multicultural education. This standardization encompasses all educational levels up to and including secondary school, ensuring a solid foundation of knowledge. The center has made available to schools the option of receiving copies of general education curricula upon request, stipulating that these materials must be officially approved by the National Center for Curricula or identical to the approved curricula for general education students.

The regulations also require schools to include the number of hours of teaching these subjects in their study plans for all stages according to the approved “Study Plans Guide”, while emphasizing the need to clearly include these subjects and their final evaluation in the student’s final result document.

Expected educational and social impact

This decision is expected to have a wide-ranging positive impact at both the local and regional levels. Locally, it will contribute to graduating a generation equipped with modern skills in languages ​​and sciences, while simultaneously taking pride in their Arab and Islamic identity, thus strengthening social cohesion. Regionally, this step sets a new standard for the quality of education in international schools, where the benchmark is not only academic achievement in scientific subjects, but also the extent to which the educational institution is connected to the cultural environment in which it operates.

A fundamental requirement for accreditation and certification

In a decisive step to ensure compliance, passing the national identity exam a prerequisite for the official certification and authentication of academic certificates, in addition to being a key criterion for school accreditation. Article 9 of the regulations stipulates that any violation of these requirements will necessitate the application of deterrent disciplinary measures in accordance with the regulations for violations and penalties adopted by the Ministry of Education.

From a regulatory standpoint, the Education and Training Evaluation Commission is responsible for verifying the application of these articles as a basic requirement before commencing the evaluation and accreditation processes for any institution, while the Ministry of Education is responsible for continuous and close monitoring of the compliance of educational institutions in applying the articles of the regulation with utmost precision.