481,000 Students Launch New Academic Year

-First grade starts tomorrow; other primary, middle, and secondary grades begin on Monday, and kindergarten on Wednesday

-97% of textbooks have been received and distributed to schools, with four titles remaining

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-Completion of giftedness screening tests for 1,000 students

-Training courses for the new tenth-grade curriculum and localization of training within departments

-Strict commitment to providing a safe educational environment for learners and field staff

The Ministry of Education continues its preparations to welcome students and launch the 2026-2027 academic year, ensuring that schools and educational and administrative staff are ready, and that an appropriate educational environment is provided for learners. This includes completing various requirements related to the start of classes and ensuring a safe and stable educational environment that contributes to the continuity of the educational process and the achievement of its objectives from the first day.

The Ministry clarified that the new academic year 2026-2027 begins tomorrow with first-grade students only. Students in the remaining primary, middle, and secondary grades will start classes the day after tomorrow, while kindergarten students will begin on Wednesday.

The Ministry stated that the total number of students in government schools, private Arab schools, and religious education institutions amounts to 481,511 students. This figure includes all educational stages and Arab educational systems welcoming students at the start of the new academic year.

The Ministry of Education indicated that the total number of students in general education in government schools is 391,604, while the total number of students in private Arab ("independent") schools is 86,762. Religious education students number 3,145, bringing the total to 481,511 students across all stages.

Giftedness Tests

In the context of continuing the Ministry’s efforts to care for gifted students and discover their abilities, the Ministry of Education stated that the Gifted Office completed screening tests for approximately 1,000 students. Tests for an additional 70 students will be completed next Sunday, as part of the first phase of procedures for identifying gifted students.

The Ministry added that the Gifted Office has also finished reviewing and sorting applications from teaching staff members. Test dates and personal interviews for these candidates have been scheduled for the current week, in accordance with approved procedures for selecting relevant personnel.

The Ministry affirmed the completion of its preparations to welcome students and the continuation of relevant sectors in implementing and monitoring necessary measures to ensure school readiness and the provision of educational process requirements, thereby supporting an organized and stable launch of the new academic year.

Textbook Distribution

Regarding textbooks, the Ministry of Education clarified that the rate of receiving books from printing presses and distributing them to schools has reached 97 percent. Out of 141 titles, 137 textbooks have been received, as part of measures taken to provide the necessary educational materials for learners at the start of the school year.

The Ministry noted the completion of the transfer process for teaching staff and supervisory positions in schools. It stated that work is currently underway to resolve submitted appeals, in accordance with established procedures, contributing to the stability of the employment status of educational and supervisory staff and meeting the needs of schools.

The Ministry of Education emphasized its interest in enhancing the readiness of teaching staff for the new curricula. It explained that relevant technical directorates have organized training courses for teachers regarding the new tenth-grade curriculum, aiming to strengthen their preparedness to implement the curricula with the launch of the academic year.

The Ministry stated that the training courses on the new tenth-grade curricula included technical guidance supervisors, counselors, department heads, as well as male and female teachers. This was achieved by localizing the training within scientific departments, ensuring that the training reached the relevant educational staff directly.

**Localizing Training**

The Ministry clarified that localizing training within scientific departments is part of supporting the educational field and enhancing the capacity of educational staff to handle the new curricula, while strengthening their readiness to implement them in accordance with specified educational and pedagogical objectives.

The Ministry of Education emphasized the need to continue monitoring various aspects of preparation for the new academic year, and to work on providing the necessary requirements for schools, educational and administrative bodies, and students. These efforts aim to enhance the stability of the educational process and ensure its launch as desired.

The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to providing a safe learning environment for students and those working in the educational field, and to continuing its efforts to monitor school readiness and complete requirements related to the academic year.

**The “Pathways” System... A Comprehensive Training Program**

Regarding preparations for implementing the Pathways system in secondary education, the Ministry of Education clarified that the General Directorate of Guidance, Research, and Curricula has completed a training course targeting school principals. This is part of preparations for implementing the Pathways system during the 2026–2027 academic year.

The Ministry noted that training school leadership represents a crucial step in preparing for the system’s implementation, by unifying understanding of procedures and monitoring mechanisms, and enhancing schools’ ability to support students and their parents during the first year of implementation. This supports schools’ readiness to welcome students and launch classes. The Ministry stressed that a comprehensive training program for the Pathways system, targeting department heads, teachers, and counselors, will be implemented in the coming weeks.

The Ministry added that work is currently underway to study applications from students registered in the Pathways system, in preparation for sending admission notifications. Students will be informed of the results of their applications via the “Masar” platform, either by following up with students directly or through notifications sent via the “Sahl” application.