MAKKAH — The Ministry of Interior has instructed all governorates to form teams to inspect safety standards and measures in public schools. The teams will be headed by the governorate officials and consist of representatives of the Civil Defense, the electric company, the municipalities, public security, educational directorates and the Ministry of Interior. They are expected to inspect 27,000 schools and will report back on unsafe structures that need to be evacuated. This directive follows an unusual increase in fire incidents at schools in the last three years. The inspection of the boys' schools will be carried out during the school hours, while girls' schools will be inspected after the school hours. The Makkah regional team has requested Emir Prince Khaled Al-Faisal to increase the number of committee members and appoint a structural engineer representing the municipalities. Instructions from the Ministry of Interior are required regarding charitable or community schools, as these schools are not under the supervision of the Ministry of Education. The head of the Makkah central committee, Mohammad Al-Shanbari, said sub teams have been formed and begun their work.
