Registration for new students in kindergarten and first grade has begun
The Saudi Ministry of Education announced the start of registration for new students for the upcoming academic year, beginning Sunday, Shawwal 17 (corresponding to April 5). This step aims to streamline the student admission process for kindergarten and first grade, allowing applications to be submitted through a dedicated digital portal. This ensures a flexible and equitable allocation of students based on available spaces in public and private schools.
Vision 2030 and facilitating the electronic registration of new students
The education system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has witnessed a major transformation in recent years, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. The registration process for new students no longer requires visiting schools or submitting paper documents, as was the case in previous decades; it has been completely transformed into an integrated digital system linking various government agencies. This digital transformation aims to save parents time and effort, ensure the accuracy of submitted data, and facilitate the automated and impartial allocation of school places, guaranteeing equal opportunities for all children across the Kingdom.
Educational and social impact of early registration
Announcing registration dates early is of paramount importance at both the local and educational levels. From an organizational standpoint, this allows the Ministry of Education to accurately determine the expected number of students enrolling in schools, which facilitates advance planning for staffing, classroom preparation, and the distribution of books and supplies well before the start of the academic year. On a family and social level, securing children's places early reduces anxiety and stress for families, giving them ample opportunity to prepare their children psychologically and socially for the transition to the new school environment, especially during early childhood, a crucial stage in the development of a child's cognitive and behavioral skills.
Conditions and ages for admission to the first grade of primary school
The Ministry of Education has precisely defined the target age groups for admission to the first grade of primary school to include two main categories:
- Category 1: Students who have completed six years or less by a maximum of 90 days, and who were born on or before August 24, 2020.
- Category Two: Students who are less than six years old by 180 days (born between August 25, 2020 and November 22, 2020), provided they submit an accredited certificate proving their enrollment in kindergarten for a full academic year before registering at the school.
The three kindergarten levels for the new year
The ministry clarified the specific birth periods for admission to the three levels of kindergarten to ensure that the curricula are aligned with the child's age development:
- Level One (KG1): Targets children born from August 25, 2022 to August 24, 2023.
- Level Two (KG2): For children born from August 25, 2021 to August 24, 2022.
- Level 3 (KG3): Includes children born from August 25, 2020 to August 24, 2021.
The importance of medical examination for final admission
The Ministry of Education emphasized that a medical fitness examination is a mandatory requirement for finalizing the admission process for new students. This examination aims to ensure the child's overall health and confirm that all necessary vaccinations have been completed to protect the child and their classmates in the school environment. The Ministry urged parents to be extremely accurate when entering data into the electronic system and to adhere to the registration period, which continues until April 30th, to guarantee their children's enrollment and avoid any delays that could jeopardize their chances of acceptance.
