Education Evaluation Authority Standards: 4 levels in school classification
The Education and Training Evaluation Commission in Saudi Arabia has adopted stringent requirements and procedures for implementing self-evaluation processes in educational institutions. This step includes a system for classifying schools into four precise levels, aimed at ensuring the quality of educational outcomes and improving the school environment. This is achieved through the "Tamayuz" digital platform, a modern interface for managing these processes with transparency and high efficiency.
School classification levels and evaluation criteria
The authority revealed details of its school classification system, which divides educational institutions into four main levels reflecting the quality of their overall performance. This classification begins with the "Excellence" level for schools that achieve 90% or higher on performance indicators. The next level, "Progress," is awarded to schools with scores between 75% and less than 90%. The authority explained that the third level, known as "Launch," targets schools with scores between 50% and less than 75%. Schools whose overall performance falls below 50% are classified at the "Preparation" level, a low level requiring urgent intervention and intensive development plans.
The strategic context for developing the educational system
These measures were not spontaneous, but rather an extension of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's efforts to achieve the goals of Vision 2030, which places education at the forefront of its priorities. Historically, the Saudi education system has undergone radical transformations since the establishment of the Education and Training Evaluation Commission, which was tasked with building institutional and program evaluation and accreditation systems that align with global best practices. This strategic direction aims to shift education from traditional methods to a competitive environment based on measuring actual performance and analyzing accurate data, to ensure the graduation of generations capable of meeting the evolving needs of the labor market.
Rigorous methodological tools to ensure quality
To ensure the accuracy of the results, the regulatory body stipulated that the procedures require the formation of a specialized team within each school, headed by the school principal and comprising four distinguished teachers. This team is granted the necessary authority within the Noor system to develop and monitor implementation plans. The authority also indicated that school teams are obligated to apply rigorous methodological tools, including generating at least 15 classroom observation templates for the independent school, in addition to meticulously analyzing key documents and records.
Expected impact at the local and international levels
This new system carries significant implications and is expected to have a far-reaching impact. Locally, it will contribute to creating a positive competitive environment among schools, providing parents with clear and reliable indicators to choose the most suitable educational environment for their children. Regionally and internationally, this ranking enhances the Kingdom's standing in global education competitiveness indicators and supports its efforts to improve student performance in international standardized tests. The authority added that the assessment also relies on focus group interviews and questionnaires directed at families and students, linking the results to the national Nafis tests and the professional teacher licensing system to comprehensively evaluate learning outcomes.
Spreading a culture of evaluation and transparency
Official instructions emphasized the necessity of disseminating an assessment culture within the school community before the actual implementation of the assessment process. This would be achieved through workshops aimed at training staff on classification standards, updating teacher and student data, and ensuring school facilities are adequately equipped. The Education and Training Evaluation Commission concluded the procedures by stressing the importance of accurate data entry for developing improvement plans, warning against any compromise of academic integrity, and emphasizing the absolute confidentiality of results to guarantee the integrity of the entire assessment process.
