Education minister opens Saudi Arabia’s first technical high school for gifted boys

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Saudi Education Minister Yousef Al-Benyan inaugurates the Technological High School for Gifted Boys at Tuwaiq Academy in Riyadh. (SPA)
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Saudi Education Minister Yousef Al-Benyan inaugurates the Technological High School for Gifted Boys at Tuwaiq Academy in Riyadh. (SPA)
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Saudi Education Minister Yousef Al-Benyan inaugurates the Technological High School for Gifted Boys at Tuwaiq Academy in Riyadh. (SPA)
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Saudi Education Minister Yousef Al-Benyan inaugurates the Technological High School for Gifted Boys at Tuwaiq Academy in Riyadh. (SPA)
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Updated 25 December 2024
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Education minister opens Saudi Arabia’s first technical high school for gifted boys

  • Students will engage in advanced technical projects, research and specialized training programs

RIYADH: Saudi Education Minister Yousef Al-Benyan inaugurated the Technological High School for Gifted Boys at Tuwaiq Academy in Riyadh, the first government school in the Kingdom specializing in technology.

The event was attended by Communications and Information Technology Minister Abdullah Al-Swaha, Tuwaiq Academy Chairman Faisal Al-Khamisi, and other educational and technical leaders.

The school follows a pioneering global model aimed at developing the technological skills and capabilities of students, empowering them to build and innovate groundbreaking projects.

It also focuses on learning and scientific research, preparing students for local and international technological specializations.

By keeping pace with future advancements, the school enhances the Kingdom’s technological education standards. Students from the school will also represent Saudi Arabia in regional and international competitions and exhibitions.

“Technology has become fundamental to daily life and is an essential tool for navigating the future,” said Naif bin Abed Al-Zari, Riyadh’s education director, highlighting the Ministry of Education’s partnership with Tuwaiq Academy.

Abdulaziz Al-Hammadi, CEO of Tuwaiq Academy, called the partnership a cornerstone for advancing technical education.

The new educational establishment focuses on nurturing future talent through an immersive, application-based curriculum complemented by global certifications in specialized programs.

Al-Hammadi said that students at the school have earned more than 120 professional certifications from major global companies in the first semester of operations alone.

During their visit, the two ministers toured the technical school and academy facilities, observing programs, bootcamps and activities while interacting with students to assess the learning environment.

The school offers specialized programs in programming, cybersecurity, digital manufacturing, data science and other fields.

It will prepare students for major competitions like the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair, the International Invention, Innovation and Technology Competition and Exhibition, and the National Olympiad for Programming and Artificial Intelligence, showcasing Saudi talent in a range of technical fields.


Fragrance artisans weave heritage into Jazan Festival experience

Updated 02 January 2026
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Fragrance artisans weave heritage into Jazan Festival experience

Riyadh: Perfumes are emerging as living connections to ancestral memory at the Jazan Festival 2026, which opened on Friday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

A narrative rooted in botanical origins is unfolding as veteran craftswomen showcase decades of accumulated wisdom, transforming the contents of native plants into small vessels that distill the human bond with terrain.

Aromas wafting through the space suggest imagery of regional ecosystems — fragrant vegetation cultivated across highland and lowland zones, harvested during optimal periods, then subjected to extended drying and distillation processes before materializing as perfumes and essences embodying geographical character, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Arranged fragrance containers resemble nature’s output, composed by skilled practitioners versed in harvest timing, plant dormancy requirements and scent extraction methods, yielding products preserving organic integrity and territorial identity.

Craftswoman Fatima bint Mohammed Al-Faifi has dedicated two decades to perfume production, characterizing regional practice as social custom interwoven throughout daily existence — deployed in guest reception, featured at celebrations, accompanying community gathering — elevating scent to cultural signature, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Festival attendees are discovering aromatic botanicals, absorbing production methodology explanations and discerning nuanced olfactory distinctions, demonstrating how craftsmanship blends persistence with expertise, tradition with innovation.

Perfume artisan involvement aligns with Jazan Festival’s initiative repositioning traditional crafts as dynamic, evolving culture while spotlighting women’s contributions safeguarding regional inheritance and expressing this through modern methods, the Saudi Press Agency reported.