A specialized workshop emphasized the importance of the private sector to invest in the education sector through the program for the development of districts centers, which would be implemented by the Ministry of Education and supervised by Tatweer Buildings Company. It stressed the role of the program in supporting the economic and cultural development of the Saudi society.
The workshop, which was held on Monday, April 2, 2018 at the Chamber's headquarter, discussed investors' regarding attracting investments and developing financing options for recreational and educational centers. The workshop was attended by Eng. Abdullah Al-Asri (the representative of Tatweer Buildings Company), Eng. Ashraf Al-Ghamdi (the representative of Tatweer for Education), and Dr. Nabil Alwani, and Faris Al-Sawaf (from the United Consulting Groups). Alwani and Al Sawaf provided information on investment opportunities available in neighborhood centers programs.
Dr. Nabil Alwani spoke about the program of educational centers, which is one of the programs supervised by the Ministry of Education and the King Abdullah Education Development Project. The project consists of government-owned companies operating on a commercial basis specialized in the management of government projects. It includes several companies (development of buildings, educational development). The company's activity includes the management of design, construction and implementation of educational buildings and supporting facilities and supervision. This also includes the provision of all services from consulting, administrative, planning services, maintenance, rehabilitation, processing, furnishing, leasing, rental, and purchase and sale of educational buildings. The company is also working to equip public schools with trained educational personnel, equipment that will contribute to improving their educational environment with facilities, as well as facilities that meet the requirements of various activities in the evening to become community recreational educational centers.
The workshop witnessed the participation of a large number of investors and interested parties.
During the workshop, Alwani said that the program seeks through its integration with projects and programs of student activities and community and implemented within the schools' to support the national transformation and achieve the vision of the Kingdom 2030 through the following: focusing on promoting religious values and national identity; promoting professional work; the development of human cadres, raising their productivity, and expanding their choices in acquiring knowledge, skills and experiences; developing the capacities of young entrepreneurs and raise their knowledge and their competencies for effective contribution to development; strengthening the social safety nets and family and childhood care; strengthening the role of women and increasing their contribution to development; reducing the crime rate and spreading security awareness in society; and thus contribute to solving social problems in the surrounding environment.
He stressed that clubs are not only for sporting, but also they would have social, cultural, and even commercial activities, e.g., clubs as a marketing outlet for productive families. These clubs are targeting all members of society, especially students, their families, and residents of neighborhoods. The clubs are going to provide educational and recreational needs as well. In fact, clubs are going to create some jobs, which is a source of basic income or additional to local families.
Fares Al-Sawaf pointed out that the program, which is supervised by the departments of education directly, looks forward to creating an attractive environment for the private sector, where it can invest in school facilities within residential neighborhoods, and the establishment of these school clubs. He stressed that the concerned parties should not use the clubs in purely commercial projects. In fact, the availability of schools ready facilities may save expenses to investors, so that the event focuses on activities.
In this regard, he expressed his readiness to receive the views of the private sector in this aspect, and interact with them, and develop them and turn them into existing projects to serve the economy and society alike; "we seek to reach the best investment model." Schools are there, but the private sector has to take the initiative in this regard.
The first session of the workshop had a brainstorming period, in which some motivational ideas were collected according to priority for the private sector. In the second session, they discussed the ideas with a view to developing them into initiatives. There is an emphasis on the importance of innovative solutions that meet the needs of the consumer or the client, and involve a range of potential solutions to meet a need.
