The Ministry of Education is activating mobile committees to test patients and detainees
Coinciding with the start of the first semester exams, the Saudi Ministry of Education activated a comprehensive, humanitarian-focused procedural system aimed at removing obstacles for students whose compelling circumstances prevent them from attending school exam halls. This initiative involves activating "mobile committees" that officially travel outside school premises to reach students hospitalized, detained in correctional facilities, and those with medical conditions requiring them to remain at home, all according to precise guidelines that ensure a balance between humanitarian flexibility and the integrity of the educational process.
Mechanism for testing detained students and prisoners
As part of inter-governmental cooperation, the Ministry directed the formation of specialized committees to administer exams to students detained in prisons, juvenile detention centers, and reformatories. Each committee consists of two teachers who visit the detention facility after obtaining written confirmation from the student of their willingness and readiness to take the exam. To ensure the continuity of education, the Ministry activated a direct coordination mechanism between different education departments. If a student is detained in an area outside the catchment area of their original school, arrangements are made to deliver the exam questions and provide their answers with complete confidentiality and reliability.
White Bed Committees and Home Cases
The regulations also covered students hospitalized in hospitals, stipulating that committees be formed to visit the hospitalized student and enable them to take their exam in their room, provided their guardian gives written consent. The ministry granted administrative flexibility allowing the nearest school to the hospital to administer the exam on behalf of the student's original school if the student is outside their district, and then submit the results for approval.
As for students with chronic health conditions or infectious diseases that prevent them from leaving home, based on approved medical reports, the Ministry has put in place an exceptional solution by forming a tripartite committee (comprising the school principal, the student counselor, and a teacher) to hold the test at the student’s place of residence, with the requirement of the presence of the guardian to ensure the safety of the procedures and to provide a suitable environment.
The human dimension and its compatibility with the national vision
These measures are of paramount importance, extending beyond mere administrative considerations. They reflect the Kingdom's commitment to guaranteeing the "right to education for all," a core component of Saudi Vision 2030, which emphasizes equal opportunities and ensuring that no student is left behind due to unforeseen health or legal circumstances. This flexible system helps alleviate psychological stress on students and their families, guaranteeing the continuity of their education regardless of obstacles, thus enhancing the psychological and social well-being of the target groups.
Handling the situations of travelers for medical treatment
In a related matter, the regulations classify students who are required to travel outside the Kingdom for medical treatment or to accompany a sick relative as having "excuses," thus allowing them to take makeup exams during the first week of the following semester or during the second-round exams. Furthermore, education directors have been granted exceptional authority to reschedule exams in cases of extreme necessity for students traveling for medical treatment, ensuring they can focus on their treatment without worrying about their academic future.
