Contracts worth SR141m inked for KAU expansion projects

Minister of Higher Education Khaled Al-Anqari signed in Jeddah on Tuesday contracts worth over SR141 million for the expansion of King Abdulaziz University. These contracts include completion of the English Language Center and the construction of a preparatory college at the university. Almost a quarter of the recently announced national budget has been allocated for education. In a previous statement Al-Anqari said the general budget for the new fiscal year gives new hope for an enhanced development process under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, especially in the field of higher education. The minister pointed out that a careful reading of the national budget shows that education in general is an absolute priority for King Abdullah. He said in addition to the generous support for the ministry’s projects and programs involving all Saudi universities, a sizable allocation will go toward the completion of infrastructure. The budget allocated for the Ministry of Higher Education, according to Al-Anqari, during the current financial year would enable the government department to complete the facilities and university townships scattered throughout the Kingdom, including the establishment of university hospitals, housing facilities and the completion of new universities under construction. He added that in addition to continuing King Abdullah’s scholarship program to send students abroad, the budget for higher education will be a motivation for ministry employees and universities to continue to achieve an ambitious target and implement the directives of the leadership to serve the nation and citizens.