JEDDAH — The Ministry of Culture has launched an initiative to support international schools that run extracurricular programs in the music sector, in a bid to enhance arts and culture programs. The initiative targets 100 private and international schools all over the Kingdom in its first phase. The Ministry will support schools through providing all necessary equipment to run the music programs in schools. The submission is open to all schools until July 1. The ministry will announce the selected schools on Aug. 14.The ministry aims to give priority to teaching and learning culture and arts subjects in schools by supporting school leaders and enhancing the participation of male and female students and parents in extra-curricular arts and culture programs on a regular basis. The ministry, in addition, plans to develop the quality of extra-curricular arts and culture programs in schools. The ministry will provide schools with learning resources, tools, and equipment for the required culture and arts programs. The ministry hopes to develop the level of teaching of culture and arts subjects in schools and increase students’ knowledge and skills towards arts subjects. For schools wishing to benefit from the ministry’s initiative, their offered program should be in the field of music. The school must have ready-made and suitable facilities for offering the extracurricular activity and the school must have a valid license from the Ministry of Education.