AL-JUBAIL: Five schools in Jubail have joined the UNESCO Associated Schools Network, or ASPnet, in coordination with the Ministry of Education and the Saudi National Committee for Education, Culture and Science. The move integrates the schools, which are affiliated with the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, into an international network spanning more than 10,000 institutions across 166 countries. The commission’s director of the General Education Department overseeing the Jubail region, Abdulrahman Al-Ghamdi, told the Saudi Press Agency the milestone marked a strategic step in advancing the local education sector and elevating Saudi schools internationally. The network centers on sustainable development, global citizenship and intercultural learning, fostering global engagement and the exchange of best practices. Al-Ghamdi said an operational plan was in place to upskill teachers and coordinators, and implement student projects focused on sustainability, tolerance and a culture of peace. These would be tracked through defined performance indicators to ensure tangible educational impact. He added that the initiative directly aligned with Vision 2030 and the Human Capability Development Program, supporting the commission’s priorities for educational quality and global competitiveness.