Student Assessment Regulations 1447: Primary Grade Tests and Passing Criteria

In a move aimed at improving the quality of educational outcomes and streamlining the educational process, the Saudi Ministry of Education has revealed details of the regulatory updates to the Student Assessment Regulations for the 2025 academic year (1447 AH). These amendments focus primarily on enhancing students' fundamental skills and achieving the highest standards of fairness and accuracy in measuring academic achievement.

Final exams for primary grades return

The most notable aspect of the new regulations is the introduction of a final assessment in mathematics and Arabic for first and second grade students, as well as for first grade students in continuing education programs. This represents a significant shift from the absolute continuous assessment system used in previous years, as the Ministry aims to ensure students master foundational skills in reading, writing, and arithmetic before progressing to higher grades.

As for the rest of the school grades, the regulations clarified that the final assessment will include mathematics, Arabic language, English language, Chinese language, and science, while formative (continuous) assessment will suffice for the rest of the other school subjects.

The context of educational development and Vision 2030

These amendments cannot be viewed in isolation from the broader context of educational development in the Kingdom within the framework of Saudi Vision 2030. Since the Vision's launch, the Ministry has been striving to bridge the gap between years of schooling and actual academic achievement, and to improve the Kingdom's ranking in international standardized test indicators. Restructuring the assessment regulations is part of a comprehensive strategy to ensure that certificates awarded to students accurately reflect their true abilities, thereby enhancing the future efficiency of Saudi human capital.

Strict controls: conditional ratio and absence

To ensure the rigor of the educational process, the regulations stipulate that 20% of the final written exam grade must be included in the final grade for passing subjects that are subject to a final assessment. This requirement applies at the end of the academic year in primary and intermediate schools, and at the end of each academic term in secondary schools. This measure aims to encourage students to focus on final exams and not rely solely on coursework grades.

Regarding school discipline, the regulations stressed that short tests will not be repeated for students who are absent without an acceptable official excuse, and that they will be deprived of full marks for participation and interaction in the event of unjustified absence, reflecting a firm direction to raise school attendance rates.

Expected impact locally and educationally

This regulation is expected to have a tangible positive impact on the local educational environment, as it will contribute to:

• Raising the level of focus on language and digital skills from a young age reduces learning loss in later stages.
• Enhancing the credibility of the grades awarded to students and achieving fairness in the distribution of opportunities.
• Preparing students psychologically and academically to deal with testing systems, which positively impacts their performance in national and international tests.

Implementation mechanisms and timing

The regulations stipulate that final exams will be held during the last week of the academic term as part of the regular school day, while end-of-year and supplementary exams will take place during the last two weeks of the academic year. The Ministry also gave special attention to the subject of the Holy Quran, emphasizing that assessment will focus on correct recitation, memorization, and interpretation to ensure the quality of learning outcomes in this core subject.