The first education system in Saudi Arabia appeared with the establishment of the Directorate of Education (Mudiriyyat al-Ma'arif) in 1344 AH (1926 AD), which is considered the cornerstone of the Kingdom's education system.
The first Education Council was formed to establish an education system across the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia expanded the Directorate of Education to supervise all regions of the Kingdom, implementing educational policies and opening schools.
The Ministry of Education (Ministry of Knowledge) was established, tasked with planning and supervising general education across all three stages (Primary — Intermediate — Secondary). King Faisal bin Abdulaziz served as its first minister.
The General Presidency of Girls' Education was established with 15 primary schools and one intermediate teachers' institute.
A royal decree merged the General Presidency of Girls' Education into the Ministry of Education in 1423 AH (2003 AD). A year later, the ministry was renamed the Ministry of Education and Training.
The Ministry of Higher Education was established by Royal Decree No. 236/1 on 1395/5/8 AH (1975 AD) to implement the Kingdom's higher education policy. By this decision, the Minister of Higher Education became responsible for implementing government policy in university education.
University education received generous support, including the establishment of new universities distributed geographically across the Kingdom, comprising public and private universities with various scientific and applied specializations. The Ministry of Higher Education also provided modern guidance in scientific research and future planning.
To improve education outcomes, develop curricula, and bridge the gap between general and higher education, King Salman bin Abdulaziz issued a royal decree on 9 Rabi Al-Thani 1436 AH (January 30, 2015) merging the Ministries of Education and Higher Education into a single ministry named the Ministry of Education.