For the first time since the launch of public education in the Kingdom, female students will have sports halls in their schools as the Ministry of Education has allocated 30 percent of new sports halls projects to girls' schools in different regions of the Kingdom. Construction of sports halls in general education girls' schools has already started, a senior official in the General Administration for Education confirmed to Okaz/Saudi Gazette. In the Hail region alone, bids have been offered for the construction of 20 sports halls – 14 for boys' schools and six for girls' schools – at a cost of SR140 million. The total allocation for the Education Administration in the Hail region from the state budget has reached SR500 million for the construction of schools and sports halls and for the renovation and maintenance of school buildings, Khashram Al-Khashram, Assistant Director General of Education in Hail for Support Services, told Okaz/Saudi Gazette. He said that within two months, bids will be offered for 70 school projects at an estimated cost of SR600 million. Of these, 45 schools are for boys and 25 for girls. At present, 115 school projects are under way at a cost of SR550 million. Of these, 56 are for boys' schools and 59 for girls' schools. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education has withdrawn 12 stalled boys' school projects from contractors in the Hail region. __
