In the Kingdom, there are four levels of
education below
higher education. First, there is the pre-school level, which is a small sector of educational activity, currently confined mainly to cities and towns. Secondly, there is the elementary level, which caters for the educational needs of children from the age of 6 to 12. Thirdly, there is the intermediate level, which caters for children from 12 to 15. And, fourthly, there is the secondary level, which caters for children from 15 to 18 and prepares those who are to take their
education further for
higher education. Primary and secondary
education is largely the responsibility of the
Ministry of Education which caters for male pupils and the
General Presidency for Girls' Education. (Although there is a private educational sector, the vast majority of children are educated through the state system.)
At every level of education, the numbers of pupils has increased year by year. It is also worth emphasizing the number of girls who are now given the benefits of education at both primary and secondary level, an essential component of the Kingdom's policy of ensuring that the entire population is literate and numerate.
