Saudi's Misk says work nearing completion on new school campus

PHOTO

Saudi-based Misk Schools has announced that work is nearing completion on its new campus situated within the boundaries of the Non-Profit City Of Prince Mohammed Bin Salman in Riyadh.

The 210,0000-sq-m property, which comprises nine school buildings for male and female students aged 3 to 18 years, will be opening its doors in time for the new academic year this September.

Giving a project update, Dr Mohammad Al Hayaza, Chairman of the Misk Schools Board, said the new campus is the first project to be implemented in the Nonprofit City, setting a new standard for non-profit private education in the kingdom, and reflecting the ambition of HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence to support and develop the non-profit private sector.

"Despite Prince Mohammed's huge responsibilities, he has personally integrated himself in both the location and design process of the new campus, in order to ensure it supports a distinguished and unique education," stated Dr Al Hayaza.

He also directed the completion of the project in the shortest period of time, in order for Misk Schools to become amongst the best schools in the world.

According to him, the campus has been designed to support the schools' curriculum that focuses on leadership development and creative thinking through personalized life pathways.

With a build-up area of 110,000 sq m, the new Misk campus boasts environmentally friendly, sustainable and technologically connected designs that can accommodate over 1,000 students.

"Its light-filled teaching and learning spaces are flexible, supporting the school’s commitment to fit the curriculum to the child, not the child to the curriculum – a promise delivered through one-to-one mentoring and a 1:4 teacher to student ratio," he added.

Each school features academic classrooms, a library, art and design studios, science and food technology labs, Arabic culture hubs, IT suite and music room. Each also has a kitchen in support of the school’s “farm to table” initiative.

As students mature, the specification of facilities becomes more sophisticated. In STEM, the older students have access to specialized, multidisciplinary workshops for coding and robotics, as well as mechanical, electrical, systems and control engineering (mechatronics), explained Al Hayaza.

In culture and the arts, there are filmmaking and digital editing suites, as well as two black box theaters complete with high tech audio-visual production hubs and lighting rigs, while the culinary arts are supported by a Master Chef-style kitchen, he stated.

The Misk school campus boasts key facilities including three professional-style auditoriums (the largest of which can seat up to 850) and an exhibition gallery for cultural showcases.

"A total of 29 Summer Olympic sports are catered for, together with e-Sports. Included are specialist academies for golf, go-karting, and equestrian," stated Al Hayaza.

Alongside 25m and 50m Olympic swimming pools, there is a 'learn to swim' pool, a sports hall with 12 multi-purpose courts, gymnastics hall, two FIFA standard synthetic grass pitches and two 400m Olympic athletics tracks. In addition, there are numerous outdoor and indoor areas for low impact exercise, all set in a landscaped environment planted with over 1,000 trees," he added.