The Ministry of Investment and the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) have partnered with Spain’s SEK Education Group to open SEK International School Riyadh, its first campus in Saudi Arabia. The agreement, the second for the International Schools Attraction Program initiative under Vision 2030, follows an earlier announcement last April for King’s College to open a Riyadh campus.
Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih said: “This partnership with SEK Education Group, which operates some of the highest ranked schools in Spain, is yet another testament to the outstanding results achieved through the joint efforts of our ministries and the RCRC to drive the International Schools Attraction Program. We will continue to identify, attract and guide leading educational institutions from around the world to establish their new homes in the Kingdom. The combination of our young population and transforming economy creates an environment of unique demand and opportunity for the rapid growth of the education sector.”
We will continue to identify, attract and guide leading educational institutions from around the world to establish their new homes in the Kingdom.
Khalid Al-Falih, Saudi Minister of Investment
Dr. Hamad Al-Sheikh, minister of education, added: “By blending the power of culture and heritage with innovation and technology, SEK International School Riyadh will provide students with an exceptional learning. I wish the school success in its mission, as we work together to develop Riyadh into a world-class city.”
BACKGROUND
The new school will welcome students from pre-K to grade 2, and will offer the IB Primary Years Program, Middle Years Program, and Diploma Program.
“Building a world-class educational system requires a long-term investment in the people of Riyadh. RCRC is acting as a catalyst to fast-track the process by partnering with reputable international educational institutions such as SEK, to equip young Saudis and foreign students with the needed skills to fulfill long-lasting careers for the future,” said President of RCRC Fahd Alrasheed.
The new school will welcome students from pre-K (3 years) to grade 2 (7/8 years), and will become one of the few schools in Riyadh accredited to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Program (PYP), Middle Years Program (MYP), and Diploma Program (DP).
Ambassador of Spain to Saudi Arabia Álvaro Iranzo Gutiérrez described the opening of the SEK International School in Riyadh, as an opportunity for bilateral educational cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Spain. “SEK International School Riyadh will ensure fluency in English, the main language of instruction, as well as in Spanish and Arabic. This specificity will also open up the window to Spanish culture to many children in Riyadh,” he said.
“We are delighted and honored to contribute to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, thanks to the invitation and support of the Ministry of Investment, Ministry of Education and the RCRC. The school embodies a long education tradition with the most innovative learning model, designed to serve each one of our students and create the best learning experience for them,” said Nieves Segovia, president of SEK Education Group.
