Saudi education minister says e-learning could make concept of K-12 obsolete

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Education Dr. Hamad Al-Sheikh said that students could accelerate their learning since education is available 24/7, leading to the possibility for the concept of K-12 becoming obsolete.

The principle of 12-year education could change dramatically with e-learning, he said during a media briefing at G20 Summit in Riyadh on Sunday.

“Internationalization of education is becoming a major part of the international cooperation through the virtual education mobility,” he said.

In addition, the minister affirmed that the educational systems around the world were all caught off guard and were unprepared for the pandemic.

“To ensure continued engagement in the schools for students and teachers, the ministry delayed their announcement of plans until the end of the semester,” Al-Sheikh noted.

Distance learning in Saudi Arabia was not a new concept. In fact, more than 40 years ago, the government was using closed circuit TV.

"On March 8, three days before the World Health Organization had declared COVID-19 a pandemic, the Ministry closed schools across the nation. The next morning all online distance classrooms were in full session. Learning management systems were already in use in almost all higher education, though none had the capacity to accommodate a task of this magnitude,” the minister disclosed.