Primary Education
The Ministry introduced numerous changes in the teaching organs. It also established several new departments and divisions, namely an independent department for Primary Education which constituted the basic foundation for all educational stages. Since Primary Education is the longest stage in the educational process and the first contact of pupils with formal and systematic learning, in addition to being widely spread in towns, villages and the Hajr, it occupies a prominent position among all stages and, if functioning properly and achieving its goals, would be contributing immensely to the whole of the educational process. Primary education began in the Kingdom over sixty six years ago with the establishment of four schools, in 1344 H. - i.e. the same year the Department of General Education was established. When the Ministry of Education was formed, it entrusted a group of experts with the task of examining all previous educational systems and adapting them to the new circumstances and conditions. In the second year after its establishment, the Ministry took a very important step : unifying primary education. Abiding by the directives of King Saud on the issues of quantity and quality, the Minister of Education was careful to execute the King's orders. In terms of quantity, numerous schools were opened - forty schools in one year - to accommodate the large numbers of pupils seeking admission. In terms of quality, for which King Saud provided funds, the Ministry brought in the most highly qualified and best trained teachers. It also modified and adapted the curricula appropriate for meeting the requirements of the new developments and revival and also to be compatible with pupils' thinking and intellectual capacities.
Education, in general, and Primary Education, in particular, received the care and attention of King Saud. Development of education comprised the curriculum, text books, technical supervision, teacher training, school buildings and health and social care. quantity, numerous schools were opened - forty schools in one year - to accommodate the large numbers of pupils seeking admission. In terms of quality, for which King Saud provided funds, the Ministry brought in the most highly qualified and best trained teachers. It also modified and adapted the curricula appropriate for meeting the requirements of the new developments and revival and also to be compatible with pupils' thinking and intellectual capacities. A quick glance at the growth of primary schools shows that there is a great difference between the time when King Saud first ascended the throne and established the Ministry of Education and the latter years of his rule, in terms of the rise in the number of schools and pupils alike. At first there were only 196 schools, accommodating 23,835 pupils, staffed by 1,000 teachers. These figures multiplied greatly during the 3-year period following the establishment of the Ministry of Education. The number of primary schools rose to 518, accommodating over 79,000 pupils. with over 3,000 teachers. These numbers continued to grow so that towards the end of the days of King Saud there were 1,173 primary schools, accommodating 192,646 pupils, who were under the supervision of 9,682 teachers. The growth rates as of the establishment of the Ministry of Education until the end of King Saud's reign were as follows:
| Year | 1373H / 1953 | 1383-84 / 1963/64 | Percentage |
| Number of Primary Schools | 196 | 1173 | 600% |
| Number of pupils | 23,853 | 192,646 | over 800% |
| Number of teachers | 1,000 | 9,682 | over 950% |
Intermediate and Secondary Education
Intermediate and Secondary Education were two stages that had been incorporated into a single 6-year Secondary stage, which was maintained for about a further five years after the establishment of the Ministry of Education. After in-depth studies, officials became aware of the need to separate the two stages into the: Intermediate Stage, a 3-year period after the Primary Stage, followed by the Secondary Stage, as we shall see.
The Ministry of Education, after its establishment, increased the number of schools in the cities and provincial capitals in order to accommodate the large numbers of primary school graduates, to relieve pupils of the need to relocate in the large towns that had secondary schools and also with a view to upgrading cultural standards and enhancing student capacities and talent.
The number of secondary schools, comprising the two stages, was only twelve, accommodating 1,697 students, supervised by 176 teachers. These figures rose dramatically during the 3-year period following the establishment of the Ministry of Education, in 1376 H., to 32 schools, accommodating 4,811 students, supervised by 357 teachers. The following table shows the growth rates in the number of schools, students and teachers :
| Year | 1373H / 1953 | 1376H / 1956 | Percentage |
| Number of Secondary Schools | 12 | 32 | over 50% |
| Number of Pupils | 1,697 | 4,811 | over 300% |
| Number of Teachers | 176 | 357 | over 200% |
In 1378 H. (1958), the intermediate and secondary stages were separated, and a department was set up for each type - i.e. Department for Intermediate Education and a Department for Secondary Education. Each stage, therefore, developed individually and received larger budget allocations. By the year 1383 - 1384 H., the number of intermediate schools had risen to 93, comprising 13,154 pupils and 995 teachers; while the number of secondary schools, in the same year, had risen to 21, comprising 3,898 pupils and 160 teachers. We shall try, in the table below, to show the approximate percentage of the combined number of intermediate and secondary schools, during King Saud's reign:
| Year | 1373H/1953 | 1383-84/1963-64 | Percentage |
| Number of Secondary & Intermediate Schools | 12 |
93 Intermediate + 21 Secondary = 114 schools |
about 1000% |
| Number of Pupils | 1,697 |
14,154 Intermediate + 3,898 Secondary = 18,052 pupils |
over 1050% |
| Number of Teachers | 176 |
995 Intermediate + 160Secondary = 1,155 teachers |
over 650% |
KING SAUD BIN ABDULAZIZ AL SAUD
MONARCH OF THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA
1373 H (1953) - 1384 H (1964)
By : Dr. Saleh Aoun-Hashem Al-Ghamdi