Saudi Arabia has taken a bold and unprecedented step in education reform
by officially approving the inclusion of electronic gaming, both competitive
and educational, into school curricula across all levels. The move positions
the Kingdom at the forefront of innovation-driven learning in the Middle East
and reflects a growing global recognition of gaming as a powerful educational
and economic tool. The initiative, widely seen as transformative, places gaming
in Saudi schools at the center of a long-term strategy to develop
future-ready skills and diversify career pathways for young learners.
The decision comes after the Saudi Ministry of Education, the National
Institute for Educational Development, and the Educational Services Development
Company, with help from Savvy Games Group, signed three strategic memorandums
of understanding. The Public Investment Fund runs Savvy Games Group, which
shows how important the project is to the country.
These agreements make it official that gaming will be a part of
education in a structured way. This includes electronic games that fit with the
curriculum, national gaming competitions, and clear training paths to help
people in the area become skilled in the gaming and esports industries. As a
result, gaming in Saudi schools will no longer be an extracurricular
activity alone, but a recognised component of formal learning.
Al-Marsad newspaper says that the partnership will also include working
closely with the National Curriculum Center. The goal is to directly include
game-related skills and knowledge in school work so that it meets national
education standards.
Some of the most important projects are training teachers to use games
as a teaching tool, creating educational games that are relevant to the area,
and supporting nationwide innovation challenges related to the gaming industry.
This approach aims to ensure that gaming in Saudi schools is not about
entertainment alone, but about structured learning outcomes tied to creativity,
technology, and problem-solving.
Experts in education say that this is one of the most important policy
changes in the area in a long time. More and more people are realizing that
competitive video games and esports programs can help people develop skills
that can be used in the future. Research and commentary on global education
suggest that well-designed gaming programs can improve communication,
leadership, collaboration, strategic thinking, and complex problem-solving skills
that employers in many fields are looking for more and more.
By institutionalising gaming in Saudi schools, the Kingdom is
acknowledging that learning styles are evolving and that digital-native
students often engage more deeply with interactive, challenge-based
environments than with traditional methods alone.
Saudi Arabia's decision fits with the trend of using games in education
around the world. In places like Japan, some schools have started using video
games in the classroom to help students improve their critical thinking and
communication skills. They report high participation rates and good progress
rates in higher education.
Schools in Wales and the United States that have set up esports suites
and structured gaming programs have also seen improvements in student
engagement, teamwork, and pathways into technology-related careers. These
examples reinforce the idea that, when thoughtfully designed, gaming in Saudi
schools can be both academically rigorous and practically relevant.
In addition to education, the program helps Saudi Arabia achieve its
goal of becoming a global center for gaming and esports. The Kingdom is
creating a pipeline of homegrown talent that can help a fast-growing global
industry by teaching students about game design, competitive gaming, and
digital innovation early on.
As gaming in Saudi schools rolls out nationwide, it marks a decisive
shift toward education models that blend tradition with technology. The reform
changes not only how students learn, but also how they get ready for jobs in
the future. This puts Saudi Arabia firmly in a global movement that sees gaming
as a way to improve skills, creativity, and economic opportunity, not as a
distraction.
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