As the world continues to grapple with challenges in education—whether due to conflict, displacement, or the need for modernization—two significant initiatives emerged on September 18, 2025, in the Middle East, each aiming to reshape the educational landscape in its own way. On one front, the Saudi Ministry of Education officially launched its comprehensive electronic platform, school.madrasati.sa, for the academic year 1447 AH (2025-2026). Meanwhile, across the border, the Golden Generation education foundation, led by Elham Ahmed, kicked off a campaign to deliver essential school supplies to Syrian refugee children, hoping to restore a sense of normalcy and opportunity to those whose lives have been upended by conflict.
According to the Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia, the launch of the Madrasati platform represents a pivotal step in the country’s ongoing push towards digital transformation in line with the goals of Vision 2030. The platform, accessible at school.madrasati.sa, is designed to support students, teachers, and parents by offering a suite of electronic educational services. With the academic year just around the corner, the ministry underscored the importance of having a unified and robust digital platform to ensure continuity and quality in education, regardless of external disruptions.
The Madrasati platform isn’t just a website—it’s a fully-fledged virtual learning environment. Students can attend live or recorded classes, submit homework, access a wealth of digital resources, and interact with teachers and classmates, all from the safety and comfort of their homes or classrooms. Teachers, for their part, can manage digital curricula, upload lessons and activities, grade assignments, and communicate directly with both students and their parents. Parents, often left out of the digital loop, now have a window into their children’s education, with access to schedules, attendance records, and academic reports.
To use Madrasati, students and teachers log in with their Microsoft educational accounts, while parents and administrators can use the Noor system or the National Unified Access portal, depending on their status. The ministry has made it clear that having up-to-date personal data and a reliable internet connection are prerequisites for making the most of the platform’s capabilities. Devices ranging from computers to tablets and smartphones are supported, ensuring broad accessibility. For those worried about the technical hurdles, the platform comes equipped with dedicated support teams and clear, step-by-step instructions for account creation and login.
"The launch of the Madrasati platform is a cornerstone in Saudi Arabia’s digital education strategy," the Ministry of Education stated in its official announcement. The ministry further highlighted that the platform’s features—such as electronic attendance, homework submission, and direct communication between teachers and students—are designed to create a more interactive and effective learning environment. The move is also closely tied to broader national objectives: “Madrasati is linked to the goals of Vision 2030, which emphasize educational quality, digital transformation, and the Kingdom’s position in technological innovation and modern education,” the ministry added.
As Saudi Arabia moves to cement its place as a regional leader in digital education, the Madrasati platform serves as both a symbol and a tool for progress. It provides a seamless transition for new students, allows teachers to prepare and assess digital content from the outset, and ensures that all parties are ready and equipped before the formal start of the school year. In a world where hybrid and distance learning have become the norm rather than the exception, the presence of a unified, efficient platform is no longer a luxury but a necessity.
But while Saudi Arabia’s initiative is about leveraging technology to enhance education, in neighboring Syria, the focus is much more basic—ensuring that children have the tools they need to even begin learning. On September 18, 2025, Elham Ahmed, the chairperson of the Golden Generation education foundation, announced the launch of a campaign to donate school supplies to Syrian refugees. The campaign, which rolled out in Syrian cities and refugee camps such as Qara, is a direct response to the urgent needs of children who have been displaced by years of conflict.
According to the foundation, the goal is straightforward but vital: to provide Syrian refugee children and youth with the school supplies they need—backpacks, stationery, school bags—so they can exercise their right to education. “The foundation is keen to support Syrian refugees and provide them with educational opportunities,” Elham Ahmed emphasized, underscoring the campaign’s commitment to restoring hope and dignity to a generation at risk of being left behind.
The campaign is not operating in isolation. The Golden Generation foundation is working hand-in-hand with Syrian activists to distribute supplies and raise awareness about the importance of education for refugee children. The hope is that by equipping these young people with the basics, the foundation can help them reclaim a sense of normalcy and give them a fighting chance at a better future. The campaign’s launch date, September 18, 2025, was chosen to coincide with the beginning of the new school year, ensuring that children would not miss out on critical learning opportunities simply because they lacked the necessary materials.
“We aim to facilitate education for Syrian refugee children and youth,” Ahmed said, highlighting the foundation’s broader mission. By providing tangible support, the campaign seeks to bridge the gap between aspiration and reality for thousands of displaced students. The foundation also sees its work as part of a larger effort to foster stability and opportunity in a region still struggling with the aftershocks of war.
These two initiatives, though different in scope and setting, are united by a shared recognition of education’s transformative power. In Saudi Arabia, the focus is on digital innovation and preparing the next generation for a rapidly changing world. In Syria, it’s about meeting the most fundamental needs so that children can return to the classroom. Both approaches reflect a deep commitment to the idea that education is not a privilege, but a right—and that societies are stronger, more resilient, and more hopeful when every child has the chance to learn.
As the new academic year begins, these efforts serve as a reminder that the path to educational progress is not always linear. Sometimes it requires cutting-edge technology and sweeping policy changes; other times, it’s about a simple backpack and a notebook. But in every case, the goal remains the same: to give young people the tools they need to build a better future, for themselves and for their communities.