Scholarship students in Saudi Arabia allowed private tutoring after 2-year ban

DAMMAM — Saudi cultural attachés have favorably responded to requests by scholarship students to reinstate their right to receive private tutoring under certain conditions set by the Ministry of Education, Al-Hayat newspaper reported.

The practice was banned by the ministry two years ago.

According to the conditions, the lessons should cover only academic subjects, should not bet for the preparatory stages, the students must obtain prior approval of the cultural attaché in the concerned country, the amount of compensation should not exceed one month's basic salary, and the lessons should not be for a subject or material for which permission was granted previously.

The ministry stated that the conditions stipulate a letter from the academic supervisor at the university clarifying the student's need for additional tutoring must be produced. Receipts of payments indicating the amount and the tutor's address must be presented to receive compensation.

The cultural attachés explained that compensations will not given for taking training courses. Those wishing to attend any training program must apply separately.

The need for private tutoring shall not be the result of negligence, failure, interruption and absence from study or to reduce the academic burden, according to the ministry.

The allowance is not paid twice for the same semester. If the semester falls between two years, the private lessons shall be within a full semester..

After approval, the student pays the tuition fees himself and is compensated for after the completion of the course on producing the necessary documents.

The ministry confirmed that if a student is dismissed for the summer semester, the allowance will not be paid again for another year if that is the graduation semester. In other words, the allowance is not paid for the year in which the summer semester ended.

The ministry pointed out that all bills are submitted through the website within the year. No more than one application is allowed during a Gregorian year.