Saudi Arabia likely to continue distance education after COVID-19, says official

Ibtisam Al-Shehri, spokesperson for the Ministry of Education

Saudi Arabia will likely continue distance education even after COVID-19 ends, Ibtisam Al-Shehri, spokesperson for the Ministry of Education said in a TV interview.

“Online learning is currently inevitable, it is linked to the upcoming plans and strategy,” she added.

Al-Shehri indicated that students cannot return to schools, and the educational process cannot be resumed, due to concerns about the safety of both students as well as the education personnel.

“Based on the current experience in distance education and the technical skills that teachers and parents have shown in dealing with the platform, the Ministry of Education considers remote learning as the start of a new era and a new concept, which is e-learning or blended learning,” she noted.

Online education will help students communicate with their teachers and colleagues even after school, as it will not represent a temporary phase, Al-Shehri added.