The "Hadhori" program has retreated from the mandatory 7-hour unified attendance for teachers and administrative staff in schools starting from the new academic year, according to what Minister of Education Yusuf Al-Bunyan announced at the government press conference held in Riyadh yesterday (Monday), where he reviewed the ministry's plan for the new academic year.

The minister explained that after reviewing the work mechanism in the "Hadhori" platform, the attendance of teachers at school will end with the conclusion of the school day, according to each school's plan, starting from the new academic year, thus ending the implementation of the unified attendance and departure hours.

The spokesperson for the Ministry of Education, Mona Al-Ajmi, confirmed this direction, clarifying through her official account on the "X" platform that the departure of teachers and administrative staff will be according to the approved schedule for each school.

"Lunch Breaks" and Long Distances

"Okaz" has been following the issues related to the "Hadhori" program since its implementation, and published a report in September 2025 titled (Hadhori Hours Anger Teachers.. and "Education" Responds), which addressed teachers' demands to reconsider attendance hours and link them to the nature of school work and the presence of students.

Additionally, "Okaz" documented in another report titled ("Hadhori" Forces Teachers to Have Lunch Breaks at Schools) the struggles of teachers who travel long distances between their schools and homes, with some being forced to buy and eat lunch inside the school due to the continuation of attendance hours until the end of the workday.

In a third report titled ("Hadhori" Requires Teachers' Children to Stay in Schools Until Their Parents' Workday Ends!), it discussed the implications of the implementation on teachers' families, particularly the connection of some children's departure to the end of their parents' work hours.

In another follow-up, "Okaz" reported in a report ("Hadhori" is Mandatory Today.. and Authority is in the Hands of the Principal) the developments that occurred in the application mechanism and the powers granted to school administrations in organizing attendance and departure.

With the adoption of each school's schedule, "Hadhori" closes the chapter on the 7-hour attendance that sparked controversy since its implementation, making the departure times for teachers and administrative staff linked to the approved schedule for each school, instead of imposing unified hours on all schools.

A Developmental Step

Teachers confirmed to "Okaz" that the new decision would address several observations that accompanied the implementation of the unified attendance and departure hours, and that linking attendance to the nature of the school day grants schools greater flexibility in organizing work, without compromising educational and administrative tasks.

Educational researcher Makhlad Al-Ruqai stated to "Okaz" that updating the organization of attendance and departure hours, and allowing teachers to leave at the end of the school day according to each school's schedule, represents a developmental step that takes into account the nature of educational work and the needs of the field.

Improving Work Quality

Al-Ruqai clarified that the new organization does not mean reducing commitment, but rather enhances effective time management and links attendance to actual work requirements, providing teachers with a better space for planning, preparation, and professional development, contributing to improving the quality of professional life, reducing daily pressures, and increasing job satisfaction, which in turn reflects on teacher performance and the quality of student learning.

Al-Ruqai pointed out that the decision enhances trust in teachers and supports a culture of responsibility and achievement, while focusing on the quality of outputs and educational impact, while also maintaining the regularity of the school day and the continuity of the educational process.

For his part, Khalid Al-Juaid believes that the decision takes into account the nature of the school day and provides teachers with their time after completing their tasks, which enhances professional stability and prepares them to return with greater energy for a new school day.