Riyadh – Mubasher: Disputes between the Saudi Ministry of Education and the contractors have delayed the construction projects of 510 schools at combined investments of SAR 3 billion ($800 million), according to local media reports.

Only 20% of some of the idled projects were finished when they should have been nearly completed, Saudi Gazette said, giving no further details on the nature of the disputes.

The Saudi government is at pains to meet the mounting demand for the educational facilities in the GCC nation.

This propels the Saudi authorities to mull over implementing short-term and costly solutions, such as merging schools, renting buildings, and running classes during a morning-evening shift pattern.

Saudi Arabia has a shortage in “qualified and trained consultants, contractors, owners, lawyers, accountants, and workers” to implement the construction projects, Nabeel Abbas, a member of Saudi Council of Engineers, said.

He urged the government to adopt International Federation of Consulting Engineers (Fidic) contracts in an effort to speed up the construction projects and help contractors “feel secure” in their role.

For his part, Saud Al-Sadi, a former member Makkah Chamber of Commerce's Contractors Committee, said that contractors had “no control” over cash flow, which in return delayed the construction projects.

Al-Sadi underlined that local market direly needs “skilled and experienced workers”, urging the government to grant work permits for the construction sector.