Saudi Arabia shuts 74 private schools over safety violations and licensing issues

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Saudi Arabian authorities have revoked the operating licenses of 74 private schools across the kingdom following a series of regulatory and safety violations.

The Ministry of Education announced the decision after inspections revealed several institutions were operating with expired licenses and lacked mandatory fire safety certificates. Officials said the move is part of a broader effort to maintain high educational standards and ensure a safe learning environment.

The ministry stated that operating without these essential permits posed a direct risk to students. The closures come after the schools reportedly failed to rectify the violations despite receiving multiple warnings and deadline extensions.

To prevent academic disruptions, the government has transferred affected students directly into the public school system. Parents also have the option to relocate their children to other licensed private schools.

The Saudi Ministry of Education’s recent shuttering of 74 private schools marks a significant escalation in the Kingdom's regulatory enforcement, signaling a broader shift toward stringent standardization under the Vision 2030 framework. This move is not merely a bureaucratic cleanup; it is a strategic alignment with Riyadh’s overarching goal of diversifying its petroleum-dependent economy through the development of high-caliber human capital. In the eyes of Saudi policymakers, educational institutions that fail to meet safety or academic benchmarks are no longer just local failures—they are direct impediments to national economic security.

This aggressive intervention serves as a clear warning to the burgeoning private education sector that the government intends to prioritize institutional quality and regulatory compliance over market volume. By purging underperforming or non-compliant operators, Riyadh is attempting to de-risk the sector to attract more reputable domestic and international investors.

Ultimately, the crackdown reflects the state’s evolving role as a robust regulator in an expanding private marketplace. It underscores a willingness to exercise heavy-handed intervention to protect national standards and public safety. For the Saudi government, the message to stakeholders is unambiguous: while the private sector is a vital pillar of the future economy, its growth will be strictly governed by the state’s mandate to safeguard the development of the Kingdom’s youth.