Seven years on, parking crisis persists at Ministry of Education building

Nearly seven years after employees of the Ministry of Education relocated to their new headquarters in 2019, visitors continue to face significant difficulties finding parking, amid the Ministry’s failure to provide adequate spaces for both staff and the public.

An informed source told Al-Jarida that despite the appointment of seven different education ministers since the move, the long-standing parking problem remains unresolved.

The shortage has forced many visitors to park in prohibited or undesignated areas, exposing them to traffic violations and substantial fines due to the absence of nearby parking facilities — including paid parking options.

According to the source, visitors are frequently surprised upon arrival to discover that parking areas surrounding the building are restricted exclusively to employees. However, even these designated spaces are insufficient, leaving Ministry staff themselves struggling to secure parking.

The source emphasized that the Ministry of Education is one of the country’s busiest service institutions, receiving hundreds of visitors daily. Its services cater to all segments of society, including students, parents, teachers, and school administrations, making smooth access to the building essential.

The source called on Ministry officials to urgently coordinate with the relevant authorities to find a practical solution, stressing that visitors should not be penalized with traffic fines simply for attending the Ministry to complete official transactions or follow up on documents.

The source added that issuing formal correspondence about the parking issue without concrete follow-up measures does not absolve the Ministry’s leadership of responsibility, urging decisive action to end a problem that has persisted for years.