Muscat – In a push to enhance education sector infrastructure, the Ministry of Education (MoE) has announced significant investments in transportation and school buildings for the academic year 2023/2024.

Majid bin Said al Bahri, Undersecretary for Administrative and Financial Affairs in MoE, announced that an additional RO5mn has been set aside to introduce 800 new buses to the existing fleet.

Giving details, Khamis bin Mubarak al Hadidi, Director General of Projects and Services at the ministry, said, “With the efforts of various educational directorates, we’ve managed to renew contracts of 18,989 school transportation vehicles. Around RO88mn is channeled towards the school transportation sector for this academic year, with an additional RO4,800,000 allocated for 800 new buses.”

Regarding infrastructure, Bahri informed that 39 integrated school buildings are in the pipeline. “Nine of these buildings will commence operations in the beginning of the first semester, followed by 23 in the second semester. The remaining will be operational as soon as these are complete.”

Additionally, a sum of RO2,300,000 has been earmarked for educational directorates to rejuvenate existing school premises.

In an effort to create an environment conducive to learning, MoE is also setting aside RO23mn to replace 92,000 air-conditioners during the 10th Five-Year Plan. Furthermore, financial liquidity has been augmented by an additional RO11mn to expedite development projects.

MoE has collaborated with the private sector and Royal Oman Police to fund and implement awareness programmes, including a preventive driving course for school transport drivers.