Saudi Gazette report

NEOM — The Saudi Cabinet has approved a return to a two-semester academic year for public schools starting in the 1447/1448 Hijri school year (2025–2026), while maintaining the previously approved long-term academic calendar framework through the next four years, the Ministry of Education announced.

The ministry said the decision follows a comprehensive review of the three-semester model, which had been adopted as part of broader education reforms in line with Vision 2030.

While the three-term system helped solidify a minimum of 180 instructional days annually — comparable to averages in OECD and G20 countries — the shift back to two terms reflects a strategic pivot informed by national consultations.

The ministry emphasized that educational quality is not solely determined by the number of semesters but by the foundational elements of the learning ecosystem, including teacher training and motivation, curriculum development, school environment, institutional governance, and local autonomy.

A wide-ranging study involving educators, administrators, students, and parents found that flexibility in academic scheduling — particularly in regions with special seasonal demands like Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah, and Taif — is essential for better alignment with local needs and to support national priorities such as the Hajj and Umrah seasons.

While public schools will return to a two-term system, the Ministry confirmed that private and international schools, universities, and vocational institutions will retain the flexibility to choose the academic model that best suits their needs.