Riyadh, Aug. 19, 2021, SPA -- Acting Minister of Media Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi and the Minister of Education Dr. Hamad bin Mohammad Al Al-Sheikh held a joint press conference today. The two officials highlighted the most prominent issues and current developments that have been achieved in the country. During the periodic government communication joint press briefing, Al-Qasabi said the Kingdom has made great strides in confronting the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic at all levels, adding that more than eleven million individuals have taken the two prescribed doses of the vaccine, and 21 million were vaccinated with one dose, calling on all citizens and residents to take the vaccine. He pointed out that since the beginning of this year, nearly 20,000 pilgrims have been arriving in the Grand Mosque on daily basis as per the health protocol to ensure the safety of pilgrims and visitors. In addition, the Kingdom is witnessing the return of tourists from outside the country, which requires sustaining the implementation of precautionary measures to achieve a safe return, he said, adding that the Saudi health passport has become globally recognized through the “Tawakkalna” platform, where an operational protocol agreement was signed between the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, the Civil Aviation Authority, and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), through which the “Tawakulna” platform was externally linked and activated. Al-Qasabi stressed that the Kingdom, despite the challenges and the repercussions of the pandemic, scored a remarkable improvement in several economic sectors, which was praised by the International Monetary Fund, as a result of the measures and precautions taken by the state, in the face of the pandemic. He added that electing the Kingdom as Vice-Chair of the World Heritage Committee, representing the Arab Group at UNESCO, confirms the Kingdom's leading role in supporting heritage and documenting human heritage, noting that registering "Hima Cultural District in Najran" on the UNESCO World Heritage List has brought to six the number of Saudi sites registered in the World Heritage List. He also underlined the humanitarian role played by the Kingdom in helping other countries mitigate the effects of the pandemic on their local communities, whereas bridges of humanitarian and medical support reached more than 34 countries around the world, in addition to the humanitarian role King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) has been playing. In this regard, he cited that KSrelief has performed 47,000 operations to beneficiaries in 19 countries around the world, during the past three years. Al-Qasabi also praised the new Saudi program for separating Siamese twins, which managed to perform 50 operations to separate twins from 20 countries around the world, the latest of which was the successful operation to separate Yemeni parasitic twins. He added: "As an extension of these humanitarian actions, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques has issued directives to extend hands of support and assistance to Algeria by sending urgent humanitarian aid to alleviate the suffering of those affected by wildfires that have recently swept the country. Regarding the events in Afghanistan, the minister affirmed the Kingdom's stand by the Afghan people and respect of the choices they take, wishing that security, safety and stability would prevail in Afghanistan. For his part, the Minister of Education expressed his gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and HRH the Crown Prince for approving the attendance return mechanism for the academic year 1443 H, which reflects the Kingdom’s leadership’s deep concern over the safety of students, protecting their families and society and providing continuous support for the education sector. Al Al-Sheikh said that there has been an increase in the number of students who seek to be vaccinated, with nearly 37% of the general education students and 59% of university students have taken two doses of the vaccine. At the same time, 93% of public education students and 85% university education students, have received one dose, the Minister said, expecting the percentage to increase with the beginning of the academic year. The Minister explained that the approved operational model for the return to school stipulates that students who did not receive two doses of the vaccine will not be able to attend classes. However, to ensure the students safety and their families, they will be following their education online in the meantime through the “Madrasati platform” where teachers will upload daily lessons for them to keep pace with their peers in classes, Al Al-Sheikh said. He added that, "The Ministry of Education will start an exceptional academic year in applying new curricula for global series, and new study plans through three semesters, as well as implementing the first joint year of secondary school," noting that the next academic year will be in attendance for university, technical training, intermediate and secondary school students, provided that they have taken the two doses of the vaccine. Meanwhile, primary stage and kindergarten students will start their academic year remotely until October 30, through Madrasati and Rawdati platforms from 3:30 pm until 7 pm, the Minister said. He added that physical attendance of male and female teachers of the intermediate and secondary stages is required, while the attendance of primary school teachers will be remotely conducted until October 30. He stressed that, in the event of COVID-19 cases discovered or suspected among male and female students, the education process will be suspended in the suspected class for ten days, with the educational process be carried out remotely. Also, in case two or more cases of COVID-19 are detected in different classes in the same school, attendance will be suspended, and all students will be switched to remote study, the Minister stated. Al Al-Sheikh indicated that the Ministry of Education will perform the health protocol approved by the Ministry of Health for the physical attendance return to ensure no cases of COVID-19 are transmitted among students at school, adding that there will be teams within each school to ensure that all precautionary measures are applied. Giving an account on the Ministry’s efforts to prepare for the new academic year, the Minister said the measure included ending the lease of 671 buildings during the past two years, receiving 232 buildings with a capacity of 119,000 students, as well as carrying out maintenance, operation and cleaning actives, securing materials for the application of precautionary measures in schools in all education facilities at a value of more than SR1 billion, preparing 30,000 school buses to transport 1.2 million male and female students in 21,000 schools, distributing more than 71 million books to schools, as well as training more than 331,000 teachers during the summer vacation to optimally invest their abilities to serve the educational process. He explained that nearly 40% of early-stage students will be educated by female teachers, and 1497 kindergarten classes have been made ready for the next academic year, capable of receiving 34,500 male and female students. Meanwhile, 7923 classes have been added for the primary stage which can take more than 205,000 students whose teaching is entrusted to female teachers as well, the Minister said. He stressed that education in the Kingdom has made major achievements for the country, citing the selection of the Madrasati platform among the best four global models in distance education, in addition to developing study plans, preparing 34 new curricula, developing 89 existing curricula, and carrying out nearly 120,000 modifications in the curriculum content during the past two years. The Minister also said that 125 male and female students won medals in international forums, while the Kingdom progressed in the 2019 Thames tests in all indicators compared to the results of 2015. At the university level, the Kingdom ranked first in the Arab world, 12th among the G-20, and 14th globally in coronavirus research, according to the Minister. As many as ten Saudi universities were chosen among the best universities in the world in the Time Series Classification, he said, adding that six Saudi universities were among the best universities in the world in the Shanghai 2021 classification, in addition to the transfer of 50 community colleges to applied colleges to meet the needs of the labor market. Al Al-Sheikh praised the integration and permanent partnership experienced between the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health to serve male and female students, as well as the integration with the Ministry of Communications in providing Internet services in remote locations to ensure access to educational platforms, lauding the efforts made and provided by teachers, faculty members, technical training and administrators to serve the educational process. --SPA 21:41 LOCAL TIME 18:41 GMT 0032 www.spa.gov.sa/w1604844