Requiring managers and supervisors to obtain a professional license and standardizing fees at 100 riyals

The Education and Training Evaluation Commission in Saudi Arabia announced a significant shift in educational quality standards through a project to amend the regulations governing professional licenses for educational positions. The amendments expanded the scope of mandatory professional licensing beyond teachers to include, for the first time, school principals and their deputies, educational supervisors, and student counselors, in a move aimed at comprehensively governing educational performance.

Development context and Vision 2030

This decision aligns with the broader goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which prioritizes education. The Authority aims to enhance the efficiency of human resources within the education sector. Historically, professional licensing focused primarily on teachers to ensure the quality of classroom instruction. However, the new approach recognizes that school leadership and educational supervision are fundamental pillars that support teachers and guide the entire educational process, thus necessitating their inclusion under quality and accreditation standards.

Unifying fees and simplifying procedures

To facilitate matters for education sector employees, the new financial regulations have established a unified financial framework that eliminates previous cost discrepancies. A fixed fee of only 100 riyals for each service provided by the Authority, whether for registration for the general education exam, the specialized exam, or for issuing, renewing, or upgrading licenses. This standardization aims to remove complex financial burdens and encourage continuous professional development for staff.

Types of licenses and their three levels

The new regulations adopted four independent licensing tracks: teacher license, school administration license, student mentor license, and educational supervisor license. To ensure fair career progression, the licenses were classified into three professional levels:

• Practitioner's license: Requires a test score between 50 and 69.
• Advanced License: Requires a test score between 70 and 79.
• Expert License: Requires a score of 80 or higher.

The authority also linked these levels to years of experience and academic qualifications, as a bachelor’s degree holder needs between 6 and 11 years of experience to be promoted, while master’s and doctoral degree holders receive exceptions that reduce the required years of experience, in recognition of their academic efforts.

Expected impact and license validity

This decision is expected to have a tangible positive impact on the school environment by ensuring that school leaders and teacher supervisors possess the necessary professional competencies, as demonstrated by standardized tests. The authority has set the license validity at five years, with strict renewal requirements to guarantee continued competence. Failure to renew within two years of expiry will result in license cancellation and necessitate re-examination.

The Authority concluded its regulations with an encouraging initiative, by granting current license holders an additional free year added to the validity period of their licenses, reflecting the Authority’s keenness to support distinguished and proactive individuals in the educational field.