School Buildings for Boys' General Education in Saudi Arabia: Present Functioning, Future Demands and Proposed Alternatives Under Conditions of Social Change. (Volumes I and II).

Abstract

Saudi Arabia is engaged in a massive school building program that, during the last five years, has produced more than half the present stock of school facilities for the general education for boys. Because of the country's shortages in both manpower and material and the rising demand for education, the program has fallen short of meeting the demand with adequate facilities. Consequently, the government has had to resort to renting homes as schools; already three-quarters of all schools were rented in 1977. The study's objectives were to: (1) Evaluate the process through which schools have been designed and built as well as the product; (2) Investigate school functioning with respect to educational objectives, non-school activities, efficiency, changes in use, and users' satisfaction; (3) Investigate the potential of school-community relationships and user-participation in school decision-making; (4) Derive needs, demands, and desired architectural criteria for future schools. The methodology consisted of: (1) a review of literature and governmental documents; (2) site observations of schools; (3) personal interviews with education officials; and (4) a systemmatic survey of a sample of 695 school principals nationwide representing 15% of all schools. Superintendents and Directors of Engineering Sections at each of the 25 educational districts in the country were included in the survey as well. The analysis of the data resulted in the following findings: (1) Water, electricity, telephone, and sewer services was reported as being available at 62, 47, 25, and 9 percent of the schools respectively. More than half the schools lacked non-classroom spaces. (2) Owned buildings built with concrete tended to be amply equipped with the above services and spaces. (3) The majority of principals selected the condition of school buildings and school design as the main factors hampering the schools' operation and causing the under-use of new technology. (4) Less than half the schools were serving non-school activities, the most common of which was literacy education. (5) Increased participation by teachers and neighborhoods in schools' decision-making was heavily favored. (6) Durability and climatic adaptability were the most desired attributes for future schools. (7) Since 1950 the perceived quality of government-built schools has declined while rented facilities improved. The implications of these findings were identified and incorporated in proposed alternatives and policies.