Schools across the country reopened yesterday and welcomed the students, marking the beginning of the 2026–2027 academic year while marking good percentage of attendance on the first day.
From early morning school premises were buzzing with the arrival of students and some of the parents who had accompanied the students to see them off on the first day of the new school year. While government and individual school transport carried most of the students, many had been dropped at the school by their parents.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education confirmed that it had completed all preparations, from staffing and educational resources to logistical support, to ensure a smooth and inspiring start for the new academic year. Various government entities such as the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Transport also had made elaborate preparations with all the support and assistance for a smooth start of the new academic year.
While the schools registered good attendance on the first day, the traffic was quite smooth and moderate without any major traffic congestion. Roads were more or less free in the morning peak hours and the commuters did not face any major issues or delay. The afternoon peak hours also were free of any major congestions. Personnel from the Traffic Department had been deployed at various school premises to monitor and control the traffic.
The Ministry of Education and Higher Education had launched the tagline ‘Our schools are more beautiful with your return. Welcome back, our sons and daughters, and may you have a school year filled with learning and achievement,’ to welcome the students to the new academic year. The Ministry had announced that approximately 420,000 male and female students in 649 government and private schools and kindergartens are starting the academic session this year.
HE Dr Ibrahim bin Saleh al-Naimi, undersecretary at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in a video message had welcomed the students highlighting that it was an occasion of ‘ a new beginning and renewed ambitions’ wishing everyone a year filled with giving and excellence. Several other officials from the ministry also had greeted the students with words of encouragement. The Ministry also has launched an initiative ‘First Step’ in collaboration with Rafeeq Company to welcome the first grade primary students.
The Ministry of Interior announced that as the new academic year starts the General Directorate of Traffic is intensifying its field efforts around the schools to ensure the safety of the students as well to provide smooth traffic flow.
Meanwhile, the private schools had made elaborate preparations for the new academic year and there were special arrangements to make sure that the students felt home especially the tiny toddlers for the pre-primary and primary classes. While for most international schools it was the beginning of a new academic year, for Indian schools in the country that account for a significant number of students, it was the resumption of the academic year that had started in April this year.
An official from a private school said that almost 85 to 90% of the students were present on the first day. “We had a very good attendance on the opening day. Most students have returned to school while some of the students who are on vacation may not have reached back. They will join in the coming days and we hope that the will have a fruitful and productive academic year,” he added.