RIYADH — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman issued on Tuesday a royal order that stated the annual vacation, after the current academic year, for the lower classes would begin at the end of the working day of Thursday, May 14 (Ramadan 21). The final examinations of the second semester of the academic year, for boys and girls students, will begin on Sunday May 3 (Ramadan 10), Minister of Education Dr. Hamad Al-Sheikh said quoting the royal decree, the Saudi Press Agency reported. In a statement to Saudi Press Agency, Al-Sheikh said the royal order reflects the King's keenness on the affairs of students in the phases of public and university education. "The King's decision will have a positive impact on the results of education and the standard of performance in the examinations," he said. Al-Sheikh said the second round of exams in the primary phase will start on Monday, Ramadan 18, and the annual vacation for the educational and administrative bodies in all kindergarten and primary school schools will begin on Thursday, Ramadan 21. The second round of exams for the phases of intermediate and secondary schools will start on Tuesday, 10 Shawwal, and the vacation for the administrative and educational bodies in the intermediate and secondary phases will start by the end of the working day of Thursday, Shawwal 19. The new academic year of 1442 will begin on Sunday, Muharram 11. The non-teaching staff of administrative and educational bodies at all academic phases shall join duty on Sunday, Dhul Hijja 26 while the teaching staff shall join duty on Sunday, Muharram 4.
