October 14, 2005

PRINCE FAHD IBN SULTAN IBN ABDUL AZIZ STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION. THE GOVERNOR OF TABUK REGION INAUGURATES THE NEW BUILDINGS OF KING ABDUL AZIZ SCHOOLS. THE COUNCIL OF MAKKAH REGION REVIEWS AMONST OTHER ISSUES THE YOUTH TRAINING PROGRAM. On behalf of Prince Abdul Majeed Ibn Abdul Aziz, Governor of Makkah Al Mukarramah and Chairman of the region Council, the Under Secretary of the governorate Abdullah Ibn Daoud Al-Fayez chaired the first meeting of the council's third session. At the beginning of the meeting the council reviewed the programme set up for the study of youth education in the future, which was presented to the education, training and employment committee. The programme aims at educating boys and girls to face life and help them to achieve their requirements from jobs, ambitions, fulfil their needs from employments, increase their flexibility in dealing with loosing jobs as well as increasing productivity and competition amongst large Saudi companies to employ high qualified Saudi cadres. The Council reviewed the nationalization of jobs and the strategies and plans to implement nationalization. A number of decisions were discussed such as the Council of Ministers decisions and the Ministry of Labour decisions about employment. The new Saudi labor system would cope with new changes and developments at local and international arenas and would satisfy all parties of the labor market. The Kingdom had witnessed dramatic economic and social developments since the labor and laborers system was issued in 1968. The economic activities had doubled, the contribution of the private sector had increased in domestic product and the labor market features had changed, particularly with regard to the growth of local and incoming labor forces, leading to the emergence of new challenges that needed special treatment to conform with these developments. Using the Arab, international and GCC labor agreements and guidelines as guides, and after having consulted with relevant government bodies and the private sector, the Ministry of Labor composed the new labor system and sent it to the Experts Commission of the Cabinet for study, to the Shoura Council for discussion and finally to the Cabinet for endorsement, the Minister of Labor Dr Ghazi Al-Gosaibi told the SPA. The labor law's basic regulations was inspired by the principles of the Shariah law according to the system's Article 4, the same principles stated by the Statute of Governance. The 245-article system falls in 16 chapters. Highlighting the major characteristics of the system, Al-Gosaibi said the umbrella of the new law covered, for the first time, some categories which were neglected in the former one. Housemaids enjoyed a separate regulation, he said, adding that Saudi jobseekers were given special attention in the new system. Laborers at large would receive tough punishments, the Minister said, adding that the disabled would benefit very much according to the new law. In the new system, the probation period was fixed at 90 renewable days, Al-Gosaibi said, and early retirement, which was not mentioned in the former law, was clearly stated here. The annual vacation entitlement for laborers was increased from 15 to 21 days in the new regulation and could reach 30 days if the worker was employed for the same organisatin for five years or more. Additional privileges were given to women and to laborers joining educational establishments, he said. The Minister added that a new definition was given to juveniles, banning recruitment of children under 18. The new system included significant changes on punishments by increasing the ceiling of fines and giving the revenues raised by these fines to the Human Resources Fund, designed to contribute to the expansion in training of Saudi jobseekers. Another dramatic amendment was the disputes settling system, as a multi-organization labor dispute settlement committee was formed. concluding his statement by hoping that the new law would meet the aspirations of all parties of the labor market and contribute to the enhancement of the Saudi economy in compliance with the new developments locally and internationally. The Makkah Council reviewed the Health services data system in Makkha region under the chairmanship of Yasser Al-Ghamdi and the efforts achieved in previous years aimed at achieving the strategies of the government in the field of improving health services. The Council reviewed steps taken in co-ordination with the private and public sectors in this field. The Council discussed the achievement of the program expected for the future. The Council also discussed a report on the achievements of the social development committee during the last period and what needs to be realized in the future. Issues presented by the projects committees were also discussed amongst which the project of Jeddah's National Park. The Council reviewed the recommendations of the executive unit supporting the recommendations of the Ministry of Transport for the expansion of the Makkah Jeddah freeway to four lanes, and also discussed the local plan of Jeddah. The Council reviewed the issued concerning Al Leith governorate. On the other hand Prince Fahd Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Governor of Tabuk region and Chairman of the Board of Directors of King Abdul Aziz Charitable Society has inaugurated the new buildings of King Abdul Aziz schools in Tabuk which are part of the expansion project for primary and middle comprehensive schools in the area. The new buildings include new classes, laboratories, cultural quarters and sports hall built on 10 thousand square meters with a total cost of more than SR 10 million. Upon arrival at the schools headquarters in Al Aziziya the Prince was received by the director of education in Tabuk Dr Mohamed Ibn Abdullah Al Luhaydan, the general supervisor of the scholls Gharam Allah Ibn Abdullah Al Zaharani and directors of different grades at the schools. Prince Fahd Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Governor of Tabuk region unveiled the plaque and then toured the new buildings and attended a number of classes held in the new buildings. He met with the students and held discussions with them urging them to take advantage of the facilities provided by the schools. The prince addressed his thanks to the teachers. Prince Fahd Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Governor of Tabuk region then delivered a speech from the cultural hall directed to the boys students and transmitted via closed television circuits to the girls. In his speech the Prince expressed his happiness about the achievements of the schools stressing that the most important was the level of education. He thanked God for the results achieved by alumni who joined several university inside and outside the Kingdom adding that these achievements are a proof of the strong educational bases provided by the schools. He noted the efforts of the late King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz in the field of education and the endeavour of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz and Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General to expand the based of education through the establishment of more universities and colleges in different areas of the Kingdom and the strategic decision to found a university or more in all different areas of the Kingodm. Prince Fahd Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Governor of Tabuk region urged students to take advantage of the opportunities and concentrate on their education of the bases of the true faith, the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet Peace Be Upon Him. He added that the country needs its sons in several areas and stressed that there are no obstacles preventing women from education and the ratio of working women is more than 40%. The Prince said that women have many chances in the employment market in the Kingdom and that the country needs their efforts and their participation in building it. Prince Fahd Ibn Sultan Ibn Abdul Aziz, Governor of Tabuk region ended his speech praising the achievements of the students and alumni who now occupy honourable positions in the Kingdom.