Outlook for education sector in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has set a state budget for 2015 with total revenues projected to reach $190.7 billion (SR715 billion) and total spending valued at $229.3 billion (SR860 billion) which is expected to result in a $38.6 billion (SR145 billion) deficit. The 2015 budget is one of the highest in the history of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia dedicated $57.9 billion (SR217 billion) to education and training, a 3 percent increase from the 2014 allocation. The budget features funding for 164 new projects worth $3.7 billion (SR14 billion) and an additional $1.8 billion (SR6.8 billion) for existing projects.

General education received $108 million (SR405 million) for projects to rehabilitate 500 school buildings and 11 sport centers. Higher education was allotted $3.28 billion (SR12.3 billion) which will go towards opening three new universities and finishing projects on several college campuses. An estimated $640 million (SR2.4 billion) has been allocated to build new vocational and technical colleges, complete additions to existing projects, and operate Colleges of Excellence.

To support scholarship programs, $6 billion (SR22.5 billion) was earmarked for over 207,000 Saudi students studying abroad and their families, up slightly from $5.9 billion (SR22 billion) earmarked in 2014. Yet in a number of interviews, many people cite that the biggest challenge is education.

Dr. Mahmoud Omar Ba-Eissa, Vice Rector for Academic Affairs of University of Business & Technology talks about the outlook for the education sector in Saudi Arabia.