The Development of Educational Organizations for Private Shools in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (1926-1938)

Abstract

The period from 1926 to 1938 witnessed unprecedented movement in the organization, administration, and establishment of modern school education in the Arabian Peninsula after its unification under King Abdulaziz, who was keen on the importance of education. This study explores the reality of private school regulations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between 1926, the year that marked the establishment of the first educational administration overseeing modern schools known as the Directorate of Education, and 1938, the year the Private Schools System was enacted. This research adopted the historical, descriptive, and analytical methodology suitable for the objectives and questions of the study. The study found that private schools faced significant organizational issues and financial difficulties before King Abdulaziz's era. It also discovered a steady and rapid increase in the establishment of private schools since the beginning of King Abdulaziz's reign. The study indicates that the Directorate of Education's initial regulations included public and private schools without distinction. The government-funded some private schools. One of the study's significant findings is that the 1938 regulation differentiated several issues, such as requiring the school founder to be Muslim, the school director to be Saudi, and giving priority in hiring teachers in private schools to Saudi nationals. Additionally, the 1938 regulation contains numerous mandatory provisions for private schools. The study presented several recommendations and essential conclusions for developing and improving private education in the Kingdom, based on a deep analysis of the regulations and legislations related to this field during the mentioned period.