As the acting deputy minister for planning and development at the Ministry of Education, Dr. Sharifah Abdullah Al-Rajhi is a visionary leader, driving the transformation of Saudi Arabia’s education system in alignment with the ambitious goals of Vision 2030.
With a deep expertise in developing strategic and operational plans, institutional performance, and proposing necessary changes in educational policies based on research, Dr. Al-Rajhi’s passion for data-driven decision-making is evident in her previous roles as assistant deputy minister for planning and development and general manager for the education statistics center at the Ministry of Education.
Dr. Al-Rajhi is on a mission to enhance the quality of education in Saudi Arabia by leveraging data and technology. Under her leadership, the Ministry of Education has undertaken several strategic initiatives, including managing and sharing education data, to enable evidence-based decision-making and improve the overall quality of education in the country.
Dr. Al-Rajhi’s achievements are impressive. She has provided national and international organizations with statistics and indicators from the education sector, and worked on multiple projects within the ministry to improve capacity and demand management, and the educational performance portal, Qarar.
Before joining the Ministry of Education, Dr. Al-Rajhi worked at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah and Florida State University in the US. She also served as a member of multiple committees at the Saudi Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Economy and Planning, and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.
Dr. Al-Rajhi’s contribution to the field of data science and statistics is widely recognized. With a Ph.D. in data science and two master’s degrees in biostatistics and applied statistics from Florida State University, she was certified in SAS programming and data analysis from the same university in the US. Her expertise and leadership have earned her a seat on the executive committee of the UN E-Government Development Index at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, and the executive and steering committee for Census 2020 at the General Authority for Statistics.
Dr. Al-Rajhi is a passionate advocate for women’s empowerment and gender equality in the workplace. As a role model for young women in Saudi Arabia, she inspires them to pursue their dreams and make a difference in their communities. Her leadership, dedication, and commitment to education have made her an invaluable asset to the education sector in Saudi Arabia, and a beacon of hope for the future of the country.
Source: Cosmo Politian
