Saudi Arabia to expand vocational training for girls

Cairo: Saudi Arabia plans to expand majors for girls at vocational training institutions, a government official has said, amid growing attention to women’s empowerment and digital transfer in the kingdom.

Governor of the Saudi Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC) Ahmad Al Fahaid said the expansion is designed to meet the business sector needs.

“There is high-level coordination with the business sector,” he told Okaz newspaper.

“Our ambitions will not stop. There will be qualitative specialities suiting needs of the business sectors. Expansion will not be at the expense of quality, though.”

The official pointed to the establishment of digital technology institutions for girls.

“Girls’ faculties teaching digital specialities today in the kingdom comply with the highest quality standards,” he said.

Al Fahaid added that a consultative board for these institutions comprises digitisation companies.

In recent years, Saudi Arabia has vigorously pursued a drive to empower women in different walks of life as part of dramatic changes in the kingdom.

Women accounted for 37 per cent of the kingdom’s overall labour market last year, Saud Minister of Human Resources Ahmed Al Rajhi has recently said.

In 2018, the kingdom allowed women to drive for the first time in its history, ending a decades-old ban on female driving.

In another move enhancing women’s empowerment, Saudi Arabia allowed women to travel without a male guard’s approval and to apply for a passport, easing long-time controls on them.

Two female ambassadors were among 11 Saudi envoys, who took the oath of office before King Salman bin Abdulaziz in January.