ETEC launches standardized tests for university graduates to enhance labor market readiness

ETEC launches standardized tests for university graduates to enhance labor market readiness

Saudi Gazette report JEDDAH — The Saudi Education and Training Evaluation Commission (ETEC) announced the launch of standardized tests for university graduates. The tests, which commenced on May 17 and will continue until June 6, are not linked to the success of students or their failure in majors, it was announced. The exams, which will be applied for the first time in the history of university education in the Kingdom, is one of the outputs of the commission’s Jahiziya program to raise the readiness of the university graduates to take up jobs in the local employment market. Jahiziya program, which target students in the final year of their bachelor’s degrees, aims to evaluate and support improvement of the performance of bachelor’s students as well as to help universities and government and private colleges know the quality of their outputs and opportunities for improvement, without affecting the success or failure of students. The number of students targeted by these exams is approximately 17,000 male and female students, and the exams are being held in 200 centers belonging to 48 universities and colleges across Saudi Arabia. The standardized tests for this year include 13 university majors such as finance, accounting, marketing, finance