RIYADH — The Ministry of Education has started taking delivery of a number of education buildings from the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs (MMRA), as the first stage in preparation for the forthcoming academic year.

The buildings were properly sterilized and cleaned before the Ministry accepted delivery, with other precautionary measures stages to follow before being readied for the next academic year, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said Tuesday.

Earlier, the Education Ministry had handed over 3,445 education buildings in several regions of the Kingdom to the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs (MMRA) to be used as temporary housing for workers, as part of the ministry’s efforts and precautionary measures to combat the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.

The Education Ministry has received several buildings, in the first stage, after being sterilized, cleaned and equipped in preparation for the beginning of the forthcoming academic year. Several stages are set to follow for delivering the rest of the buildings, according to the approved time plan.

The Minister of Education and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC) Dr. Hamad Bin Muhammad Al-Asheikh, had previously issued directives to prepare 3,445 education buildings for the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs (MMRA) to be used as temporary housing for workers.

This came within the sphere of integrating the efforts of the Ministry of Education with the national efforts to curb the spread of novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, and launch proactive plans to deal with any possible repercussions, God forbid, and to be prepared early for any eventuality.