Last updated: 18 October 2026
Saudi distance learning is coming back in a planned form. The Ministry of Education is preparing a trial that lets schools in four education administrations, Makkah, the Eastern Province, Tabuk and Najran, move classes online for up to 10 school days in the current school year, Okaz and Al Yaum reported on 17 October, citing the ministry’s implementation guide.
The days are not emergency closures. They are set in advance, and parents are told before each semester starts.
How the 10 remote learning days are split
The 10 days come from three levels, and each level decides its own share.
| Level | Who decides | Days |
|---|---|---|
| National | Ministry of Education, same dates in all four administrations | 2 |
| Education administration | The director of education, by official decision for all schools in the area | 3 |
| School | The school principal, who informs the education administration | 5 |
The school level is not open to every school. Only schools rated “excellence” or “progress” in their school evaluation, with learning outcomes at least at the “launch” level, can use their five days. The director of education can also exempt any school from the trial.
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The guide keeps remote days away from the busiest parts of the calendar. Remote learning is not allowed:
- in the first and last week of a semester
- on period, final and international exam days
- on Sundays and Thursdays
- on the days before official holidays and long weekends
What a remote day looks like for students
A remote day is a normal school day taught live. The usual timetable stays in place, lessons are held at the same time online, and students must still finish all activities and performance tasks set in each subject.
Schools teach through approved platforms such as Madrasati, the ministry’s learning platform. According to Al Yaum, the trial covers government, private and non-profit general education schools, and schools need approved platforms, a good internet connection and computers.
Who is affected
Families with children in schools under the Makkah, Eastern Province, Tabuk and Najran education administrations. That includes expat families in Dammam and Khobar, which fall under the Eastern Province administration. Riyadh is not on the list, and Jeddah and Taif have their own education administrations, so their schools are not covered by this trial as reported.
According to the guide, the aim is to test how ready schools and platforms are for remote teaching, and to build digital skills for teachers and students.
What parents should do now
- Watch for the school calendar notice: education administrations must tell schools and parents the remote days before the semester begins.
- Check that your child can log in to Madrasati, and reset the password with the school now rather than on the morning of a remote day.
- Plan a quiet spot, a laptop or tablet and a stable connection, since attendance is live.
- If you work full days, arrange supervision for younger children for those dates.
What is still unclear
The ministry has not yet published the exact dates, and Al Yaum describes the plan as a proposal under study. No official press release had appeared on the Ministry of Education website by 18 October. We will update this article when the ministry announces the dates.