Procedures for Transferring a Student from One School to Another

The school is the place where the child spends a large part of their life, and it affects their behavior, personality, academic performance, and personal development. It is also directly linked to their memories and its importance increases in terms of its impact on their physical and psychological health. The decision to transfer your child from one school to another requires some consideration and thought, as well as weighing the pros and cons between the current school and the one they will be transferred to. The choice depends on several factors and requires patience, careful consideration, and participation with the child and the mother/father. In the following lines, we will try to help you, dear parent, to make the right decision if you decide to transfer your child from their current school. Why do you want to transfer your child from their current school? You may have already answered this question, but you must have strong reasons for this decision: Is it due to financial reasons related to tuition fees? Reasons related to the place of residence? Or is it related to the administration? Or the school’s staff? Or an individual incident the child experienced? The reasons may be a mix of all these answers, but you can start from the next section, "What are the criteria for choosing the new school?". The criteria for choosing a new school are summarized as follows: 1

School Administration The school administration is the most important element in any educational system. You should look for an administration that is known for success, competence, and a good reputation. You need to make a small comparison between the administration in the current school and the school(s) you have chosen for the transfer. 2

Teaching Staff Again, the human element plays a significant role in the educational system, and thus in choosing the school. Teachers should possess good manners, patience, scientific expertise, and a good relationship with students. How did you evaluate this aspect in the current school? Talk to the child about this matter; poor performance by teachers might be a valid reason for considering the transfer, but it should not be the sole reason unless there are violations that cannot be overlooked! 3

Proximity to Home The proximity of the school to the home ensures several advantages: saving time, saving transportation costs, and the child having classmates from the same neighborhood. If the proximity to home is one of the factors that made you think about the transfer, then it is indeed a very valid reason. The less time spent traveling to and from school, the better it is for the child to rest, study, and do their homework. Additionally, proximity to home saves on bus fees (schools usually charge higher transportation fees based on the distance from the school). 4

The Safe Environment of the School The availability of gates, security personnel, and the school’s location being far from busy roads are all important factors. In addition to considering health safety factors such as being in a location far from pollution, clean classrooms with good ventilation, and the presence of disinfectants in all areas of the school. A safe environment also includes the idea of integration, acceptance of others, and the ability of the administration and teaching staff to handle the diversity and differences in students' personalities and backgrounds. Talk to the administration, teachers, and current parents to assess this matter. Are there major problems in this aspect at the current school? If your child has suffered from any discrimination, marginalization, ridicule, or bullying, or if they have been belittled for their opinions or personality, then transferring may indeed be a very correct decision, and it should be done as quickly as possible. 5

School Services Sports fields, theater halls, laboratories, and libraries are all important factors in a school. Additionally, play, exploration, experimentation, and art are an integral part of the educational process and play a significant role in developing the child’s skills. School cafeterias are also part of the services, as some private schools care about providing the most suitable diet for children to help them absorb information and reach optimal physical and health fitness. Are there many problems or a shortage of services at the current school? Have you spoken to the administration about them? Perhaps you can speak first… Before making a decision based on services, a lack of services is not necessarily a major reason to think about the transfer. 6

Tuition Fees No one will blame you if the purpose of the transfer is to save on tuition fees, and that’s why we left this factor until the end, as it almost governs everything that was mentioned above. Your budget may be the deciding factor in the transfer decision, as the increase in tuition fees, especially for parents with more than one child, has been draining the family income, along with private lessons based on age stages. Conditions for Transferring a Student from One School to Another via the Noor System The Saudi Ministry of Education has set the conditions that must be met for the transfer process to be carried out through the Noor System portal, as follows: The transition standards between schools must be adhered to. If the student’s presence is not confirmed in the specified area in the application, it will be rejected immediately. It is required that the distance be approximately 250 meters at least within the same city for public schools. A convincing reason for transferring the student from one school to another must be provided for public schools. The request for transferring a student from one school to another is submitted electronically via the Noor System. The parent must then create an account on the Noor System to begin the transfer procedures. Steps for Transferring a Student from One School to Another The Saudi Ministry of Education has launched the possibility of transferring students from one school to another through the Noor Educational Platform, which provides a wide range of basic educational services such as comprehensive study tasks, detailed timetables, and recommended educational activities. The student transfer service between schools is one of the most important services provided, as it is characterized by ease of use and high efficiency through simple and organized steps executed via the Noor Educational Platform. The transfer process is carried out electronically via the Noor System followed in the Kingdom by following these steps: The parent must register on the Noor System portal. Then click on “Users.” Then select “Student Option.” Enter the name of the student you want to transfer. Click on the “Transfer” icon to go to the student transfer page. Choose the educational administration for the school to which the student is being transferred. Click “Transfer.”