Women-only Saudi university begins recruiting for driving school

Saudi Arabia’s Princess Nourah Bin Abdulrahman University has begun accepting applications for driving instructor positions after confirming plans to setup a school last year.

The university, which is claimed to be the largest institution of its kind for women globally, confirmed plans for the school days after Saudi monarch King Salman announced a decree to allow women to drive from June next year.

Read: Saudi university to set up driving school for women

The driving academy on the university campus will provide both theoretical and practical driving lessons.

General supervisor for media management, Amani Al-Hammad, told Arab News instructor applications are now being accepted through the university website.

Applicants must have a valid driver’s licence and a certified trainer’s permit and be either Saudi or a resident, suggesting the majority will be male.

However, the process is also open to women in Riyadh who have a valid driver’s licence obtained abroad.

Demand for driving lessons is expected to significantly increase this year as women prepare to take to the roads.

Read: Saudi driving schools to accept women from March

Driving schools are expected to begin accepting women from March but many female citizens and residents have already travelled abroad to obtain international licences that can be converted for local use after the June 24 deadline.

Read: Saudi women have spent $3.1m to obtain driving licences abroad

Under recent rule changes from Saudi’s Directorate General of Traffic, drivers must take 30 to 120 hours of lessons before taking a test to obtain a licence.

A survey released in October indicated more than four fifths of women in the kingdom plan to get behind the wheel when the ban is lifted.

Read: Study reveals 82% of Saudi women plan to drive