The Ministry of Education starts Saturday to shortlist the remote schools in the Kingdom in a step to build housing units for teachers and administrative staff to cut down on their commuting time from their residences. The staff members will not be charged for their accommodation. Remote schools make up at least 40 percent of the Kingdom's schools, a Ministry of Education source said. Construction companies have been approached to re-build education complexes in remote areas to accommodate the new plans of housing teaching and administrative staff. The Ministry has also planned an incentive package for its employees in these remote schools. Royal orders have been issued to build new residential and educational complexes within a radius of 50 km. Daily commuting to remote areas has killed a large number of employees, with female teachers topping the list. A study released in October by the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology found that female teachers commuting to their jobs have a 50 percent greater chance of getting into car accidents than average Saudi citizens. At least 40 female teachers were reported killed and 50 others injured in commuting accidents in 2008.
