Accra:Riyadh The Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) has delivered approximately 60 development projects and initiatives aimed at supporting education across 11 Yemeni governorates. These projects encompass general, higher, and technical and vocational education, as well as teacher training.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the program has constructed and equipped over 40 model schools with state-of-the-art classrooms and laboratories for chemistry and computer science. At the University of Aden, 28 laboratories in the Faculty of Pharmacy have been upgraded in areas such as chemistry, biotechnology, and pharmacology, along with the establishment of an advanced forensic science laboratory at the Faculty of Law, marking a first for Yemen.
At Saba Region University in Marib Governorate, the program has addressed classroom shortages by constructing two buildings with 16 classrooms and an administrative building, alongside providing student transportation. Additionally, SDRPY is establishing faculties of medicine, pharmacy, and nursing at Taiz University to mitigate the healthcare worker shortage, and building a technical institute and faculty of education in Socotra.
The SDRPY also focuses on teacher development through initiatives like the International Professional Teaching Certificate (IPTC) program, aimed at qualifying 200 teachers, along with the Digital Empowerment for Yemeni Teachers project and the Strengthening Educational Stability initiative. The Rural Education Access project has qualified 150 young women for teaching diplomas, with plans to expand to 450 female high school graduates in rural areas across six governorates.
In January 2026, an additional package of projects was announced, including the establishment of colleges of computer science and information technology at Hadhramout University and Seiyun University. The projects also involve the development of a Technical Institute for Veterinary and Agricultural Studies, a College of Applied and Health Sciences at King Salman Medical and Educational City in Al-Mahra, and the construction of 30 new schools across seven governorates, at a pace of 10 annually. The program operates school and university bus services to facilitate regular attendance.
Overall, SDRPY has implemented 300 development projects and initiatives across 16 Yemeni governorates in eight sectors, working through five executive offices in coordination with the Yemeni government and local authorities.