RIYADH: About 6 million Saudi schoolchildren took advantage of the Madrasati remote learning platform during the 2020-21 school year as the Kingdom battled the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a World Bank report. The study was based on a nationally representative sample of almost 18,000 students, teachers, school principals, supervisors and parents, and included virtual classroom observations as the health crisis unfolded over the period. More than two-thirds of teachers said their students’ academic achievements and skills increased as a result of using the Madrasati (My School) platform, adding that there was a high demand for more digital learning content. The 6 million figure represents about 98 percent of all schoolchildren in the Kingdom. Issam Abousleiman, regional director for the GCC at World Bank, said: “The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges to the development of human capital in Saudi Arabia, as it did in countries across the world. The story of Saudi Arabia’s journey to rapid and widespread digital and distance education is one that many countries are interested to learn from.” Keiko Miwa, director of human development at World Bank, said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenging time for all education systems.” Saudi Arabia’s experience illustrates the importance of supporting teachers to excel in their roles by providing them with useful tools, training and guidance.”