Traditional education in Saudi Arabia

Prior to this year the could only be taught at home by private tutors. Today more than half of almost 200.000 students in Saudi universities are women. Because they are not allowed to share classrooms with men, they hear the lectures by television. There are some university campuses for women only. Traditional education in Saudi Arabia includes the memorization and recitation of the Koran. Saudi Arabia offer free education also to study abroad. In the country boys and girls do not attend school together. For boys the levels of education include primary, intermediate, secondary and university. After the first year of secondary education, boys can choose between scientific studies or literary studies. There are also vocational schools that train in agriculture, technical and business studies. More advance studies take place at the universities. The first school for girls in Saudi Arabia was started in 1956.