RIYADH: Top officials of the Ministry of Education and Kingdom’s universities on Monday called on King Salman at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh.  The king stressed the role of education in the development of a country. Saudi Arabia ranks as the largest market for education services in the region, and it also accounts for a growing number of students enrolled in the kindergarten to grade 12 education system in the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council.  Strong government support over the past few years has led to the continuous expansion of the education sector by inviting private players to enter the space. According to a study conducted by Research and Markets, the higher education industry of the Kingdom inclined at a single digit compound annual growth rate during the period 2012-2017.  The establishment of new universities due to increased investments in the education sector was the key contributor to the augmented revenues generated by the market players.