JEDDAH — Nearly two million students from the education departments of Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah and Taif are set to return to classrooms on Sunday, as schools across the four areas complete preparations for the new academic year.

Public schools in other regions of Saudi Arabia began the academic year on Sunday, Aug. 23. In the four western regions, students will begin classes a week later.

Makkah is expected to welcome approximately 464,000 students, while around 270,000 students will return to schools in Taif. Jeddah will receive about 700,000 students across 2,862 public, private, international and foreign schools.

Jeddah has also expanded its educational infrastructure to keep pace with population growth and urban development. The city has added 27 modern schools built through partnerships with the private sector, along with five early childhood projects and eight schools developed under the “Aseel” model. Another 30 schools are currently being constructed as part of housing projects.

In Madinah, the General Directorate of Education has completed preparations to receive approximately 500,000 students across 2,631 schools, with more than 38,000 teachers taking part in the start of the academic year.

About 24,600 students are registered for first grade in Madinah, while approximately 19,700 children have enrolled in kindergarten. Schools have made arrangements to welcome new students and help them begin their educational journey smoothly.

Meanwhile, education departments in several Saudi regions and governorates have announced four additional school holidays that were not included in the academic calendar previously issued by the Ministry of Education.

The additional holidays are scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026; Sunday, Nov. 29, 2026; Thursday, Jan. 7, 2027; and Sunday, April 2027. However, three of these holidays will not apply to schools under the education departments of Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah and Taif. Schools in these four areas will have only one additional holiday on Oct. 25, 2026.

The Ministry of Education’s official academic calendar already includes six main school holidays: National Day holiday (two days), autumn break (nine days), mid-year break (nine days), Founding Day holiday (two days), Eid Al-Fitr holiday (16 days), and Eid Al-Adha holiday (16 days).

Source:Saudi Gazette