RIYADH: The results of a Saudi initiative to identify and nurture gifted talents have been announced.
The National Talented Identification Program, now in its 14th year, registered around 100,000 students.
It is run by the Ministry of Education in partnership with the Mawhiba foundation and the Education and Training Evaluation Commission, represented by the National Center for Assessment.
Basil Al-Sadhan, Mawhiba’s deputy secretary-general for gifted services, said: “There are many role models who have graduated from Mawhiba, including university professors, teachers, and students who have been accepted into the most powerful international universities such as Harvard and have established companies in Silicon Valley.
“The Mawhiba program is still in its infancy and holds a great future.”
This year, more than 84,000 selected students will take part in education programs, taking the total number since the scheme’s launch to in excess of 215,000.
Primary and secondary students are tested on abilities including mental flexibility, mathematical and spatial reasoning, scientific and mechanical reasoning, linguistic reasoning, and reading comprehension.
100,000 students register for Saudi gifted talents program
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100,000 students register for Saudi gifted talents program
- Basil Al-Sadhan, Mawhiba’s deputy secretary-general for gifted services, said: “There are many role models who have graduated from Mawhiba
Children’s Theater Festival opens in Qassim region
- To develop future ‘cultural architects,’ says CEO Khaled Al-Baz
- ‘Nurture creativity, aesthetic awareness and sense of belonging’
BURAIDAH: The Qassim Children’s Theater Festival opened on Tuesday bringing together professionals from across Saudi Arabia and the Gulf.
The event is being held under the patronage of Prince Dr. Faisal bin Mishaal bin Saud bin Abdulaziz, governor of Qassim, at the Science Center in Unaizah governorate.
It has been Organized by the Theater and Performing Arts Association and executed by the Unaizah Theater Association, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Running until Jan. 31, it features shows, panel discussions, as well as training workshops to develop children’s theater and strengthen professional skills in the field.
Khaled Al-Baz, CEO of the Theater and Performing Arts Association, told the SPA the festival forms part of a broader strategy to position children’s theater as a distinct cultural sector.
“Children today constitute genuine audiences — tomorrow’s cultural architects,” Al-Baz said.
Ahmed Al-Humaimidi, president of the Unaizah Theater Association, said it was an investment in young people, noting that it extends beyond performances to include cultural and educational programming.
He said the initiative aims to nurture creativity, aesthetic awareness and a sense of belonging, while also identifying emerging talent and encouraging knowledge exchange among theater practitioners.
“Our association recognizes children’s theater as foundational to cultivating aware, creative character,” he said.
The festival serves as both an artistic showcase and a platform for professional dialogue, reflecting the Kingdom’s expanding cultural landscape and growing focus on children’s theater as an educational and cultural tool, the SPA noted.
This occurs alongside support for signature initiatives and performing arts promotion as quality-of-life enhancement.
