The Evolution of Private and Nonprofit Sector Participation in General Education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

(A Comparative Study of the 1970 Education Policy Document and the 2026 General Education Law)

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the evolution of private and nonprofit sector participation in general education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by comparing the 1970 Education Policy Document with the 2026 General Education Law. It employed a descriptive approach incorporating both analytical and comparative methods. The provisions concerning private education and community participation in the earlier policy document were analyzed and compared with those regulating participation and investment under the new law. The findings revealed a transition in the role of nongovernmental actors from providing supplementary private education under government supervision to engaging in broad institutional partnerships encompassing governance, investment, service provision, management and operation, and the utilization of educational assets. The new law also explicitly recognizes the nonprofit sector, permits foreign investment, expands forms of support and incentives, and strengthens requirements related to quality, accreditation, accountability, and the protection of students’ rights. The study concluded that this transformation does not constitute a withdrawal of the state or the full privatization of education; rather, it represents a redistribution of certain roles while the state retains responsibility for ensuring the provision, equity, and quality of free public education. The study recommended developing an integrated regulatory framework for educational partnerships and linking sector empowerment to performance and quality indicators.