Professional license for managers and supervisors: details of requirements and fee standardization
The Education and Training Evaluation Commission in Saudi Arabia announced a significant shift in the education sector by expanding the scope of the professional license to include school and supervisory leaders, whereas previously its primary focus was on teachers. This decision is part of a project to amend the regulations governing professional licenses for educational positions, which the Commission launched through its "Istilaa" platform, with the aim of improving performance quality across all aspects of the educational process.
The context of development and keeping pace with Vision 2030
This strategic move aligns with the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 , specifically the Human Capital Development Program, which aims to enhance the efficiency of national talent in the education sector. Historically, competency tests and professional licenses have focused on the teacher as the cornerstone of the classroom. However, modern educational studies and global trends emphasize that the quality of school leadership and educational supervision plays a crucial role in creating a stimulating learning environment, thus necessitating the inclusion of these groups in professional licensing to ensure the system's integration.
Categories covered and standardization of financial fees
Under the new regulations, obtaining a professional license has become a mandatory requirement for practicing the following tasks:
- School principals and their deputies.
- Educational supervisors.
- Student advisors.
In a move aimed at simplifying procedures for those working in the sector, the authority has approved a new financial regulation that standardizes the fees for all services and tests at 100 riyals . This unified fee covers registration for the general education test, the specialized test, issuing, renewing, or upgrading licenses, thus eliminating previous price discrepancies and streamlining administrative processes.
License levels and classification criteria
The regulations adopted a precise licensing structure consisting of three levels that reflect professional development:
- Practitioner's license: Requires a test score between 50 and 69.
- Advanced License: Requires a score between 70 and 79, and 6 to less than 11 years of experience for Bachelor's degree holders.
- Expert License: Requires a score of 80 or higher, and 11 years or more of experience for Bachelor's degree holders.
The regulations took into account the holders of higher qualifications, as the years of experience required for Master's and PhD holders to obtain advanced ranks were reduced.
The importance of the decision and its expected repercussions
This decision has significant implications both locally and regionally. Locally, requiring school leaders to obtain a license will ensure that those leading schools possess the necessary educational and administrative competencies, positively impacting student achievement and teacher performance. Regionally, this approach reinforces the Kingdom's position as a leading model in implementing comprehensive quality standards in education, shifting the focus from simply securing a job to continuous professional excellence.
Validity, renewal, and transitional provisions
The authority has set the license validity period at five years , with strict oversight of renewal. Failure to renew a license within two years of its expiry is considered cancellation, requiring the application to be treated as a new issuance with all its procedures. To safeguard rights, the regulations include transitional provisions that will allow the use of previous competency test results until the end of 2028. Furthermore, current professional license holders have been granted an additional year of free license validity, in recognition of their initiative and excellence.
