50 AI Units Added to Saudi School Curriculum for New Academic Year

Fifty artificial intelligence units have been added to Saudi Arabia’s school curriculum for the new academic year, alongside updates to 22 subjects, Minister of Education Yousef Al-Benyan said at a government press conference in Riyadh.

The changes form part of a broader overhaul of general education, including the newly approved General Education Law and the launch of a unified Education Portal bringing educational services together on a single platform. The law places emphasis on curriculum quality, teacher development, support for students with disabilities and identifying gifted students.

More than 4,000 teachers have been trained to identify gifted students, while over 495,000 students participated in qualifying competitions and more than 45,000 enrolled in specialised schools for gifted students. The ministry is also working with the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority and the Human Resources Development Fund to reduce administrative burdens on teachers.

Early childhood enrolment has meanwhile risen above 35%, with a target of reaching 90% by 2030. The ministry is working with public and private sector partners on models to expand workplace kindergartens, while 200 school buildings and plots have been allocated for private-sector investment with future capacity exceeding 160,000 students.

The National Center for Curricula is also developing a national curriculum model built around values, skills and knowledge from early childhood through secondary education. Teachers will only be assigned subjects within their areas of specialisation, while a wider professional development programme is being rolled out across the education system.