Schools across Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, have been instructed to suspend in-person classes for one week and move to remote learning through the Madrasati platform, according to school notices sent to parents on Sunday.

The measure applies to students as well as teaching, educational and administrative staff, according to information provided to schools. Parents were informed through officially approved school communication channels, with several receiving emails only shortly before the start of the school day.

Messages seen by AFP included notices telling parents that schools had been informed by Saudi authorities that in-person classes would remain suspended throughout the week.

The remote-learning arrangement is expected to run from Sunday through Thursday, with students continuing their lessons according to their regular schedules through Madrasati and other approved educational platforms.

Saudi authorities had not publicly provided an explanation for the decision at the time of reporting, and the Education Ministry had not issued a nationwide public statement outlining the reason for the sudden change.

The decision comes amid heightened tensions in the Gulf and continued attacks targeting Saudi Arabia. Regional reports have linked the timing to the broader security situation, but no official statement has established a connection between the school decision and any specific security threat.

Authorities have previously moved schools to remote learning in response to security and safety concerns, including severe weather. In such cases, education officials have used the Madrasati platform to maintain classes while students remain away from school buildings.

Saudi Arabia’s Madrasati platform is the Education Ministry’s established digital learning system. It allows students and teachers to access class schedules, assignments, courses, educational resources and virtual learning services.

The ministry also permits private and international schools to use Madrasati and other approved digital platforms to maintain continuity of education when in-person instruction is suspended.

The one-week suspension therefore does not amount to a cancellation of classes. Students are expected to continue their studies remotely, while school staff carry out their educational and administrative duties online.

Further details about the reason for the decision and whether in-person classes will resume as scheduled after the one-week period were not immediately available. (ILKHA)