JEDDAH: Eastern Province Gov. Prince Saud bin Naif bin Abdul Aziz stressed the importance of offering students a quality education in the sciences. Hosting employees of the province’s education department on the occasion of the start of the new academic year, he urged educators to instil patriotism and good values in students. They represent the country’s wealth, so teachers must handle them with great attention and care, he said. “Teaching staff must carry out the mission entrusted to them, enriching students with knowledge and sciences,” he added. “As we welcome a new school year, our hearts are filled with joy and renewed hope in the students of the Eastern Province and the rest of the Kingdom for a brighter future, provided that they work hard to push forward the march of science and knowledge.” AN Jeddah Department Director Dr. Nasser Al-Shalaan commended the important role and efforts exerted by the province’s students who joined scout teams to serve Hajj pilgrims. The province has 2,895 schools accommodating 840,000 students and 57,392 teachers, in addition to 480 kindergartens, he said. “These schools offered 2,071 training programs during the past year, while 22 new educational projects were submitted. The council also maintained and restored 41 educational buildings,” he added. “We hope that our creative students will achieve international excellence and prominence, and hold aloft the flag of the Kingdom thanks to the attention and care accorded not only to the students, but also to the educational projects in the Eastern Province.”