COVID-19: 186 schools in Saudi Arabia cut fees by half

Cairo: Owners of 186 private schools have agreed to cut their fees by half in the first semester of the new academic year, the Saudi news agency SPA reported.

The gesture by the schools located in Saudi Arabia’s northern region of Tabuk will benefit 30,000 students and save a total of 90 million Saudi riyals for their parents, according to an education official.

The step comes in response to an initiative launched by the Tabuk education directorate to help mitigate the economic impact of COVID-19.

“This initiative consolidates national duty done by owners of private and international schools as well as kindergartens towards their country,” Director-General of the Tabuk Education Directorate Ebrahim Al Omari said.

Earlier this week, Saudi Minister of Education Hamad Al Sheikh said that the first seven weeks of the new school year, starting on August 30, will depend on distance-learning programmes as part of the kingdom’s efforts to stem the spread of the new coronavirus.