Saudi Gazette report

Jeddah — Some 25 government schools will be operated by the private sector as per an approval given by the Council of Ministers at its session chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman here on Tuesday.

The Cabinet approved the Independent Schools initiative upon the recommendation of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs (CEDA).

The supervisory committee of the education sector will carry out this initiative in accordance with the provisions of supervisory committees tasked with privatization.

Education is among the 10 government sectors to be privatized as part of the privatization program announced by CEDA.

The 10 government sectors identified for privatization include environment, water and agriculture; transportation; energy; labor and social development; telecommunications and IT; education; municipalities; health; housing; and Haj and Umrah.

Minister of Culture and Information Awwad Al-Awwad said the Cabinet valued the privatization program named Delivery Plan 2020 approved by CEDA under the chairmanship of Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, last month.

The program targets realizing the goals of Vision 2030 to increase the private sector’s stake in the gross domestic product (GDP) from 40% to 65% by 2030. The privatization program aims at generating SR35 billion to SR40 billion in non-oil revenues by 2020 and creating up to 12,000 jobs.

The Cabinet reiterated the Kingdom’s keenness to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people. It noted in this regard its pledge to donate $100 million through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief) for Syrians announced at a conference on “Supporting the future of Syria and the region” at the European Council in Brussels last month.

The Cabinet said the Syrian people are being subjected to horrific war crimes. It reiterated that a political solution is the only way to solve the Syrian crisis.

The Cabinet approved the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Kingdom and Monaco at the level of non-resident ambassador.

The Cabinet also approved the food security strategy and its executive plan on the recommendation of CEDA and the minister of environment, water and agriculture.