Interview by: Fawziya bint Muhammad Al-Jalal

H.E. Mr. Abdullah Al-Naeem is considered a pioneer of education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He was born in the city of Unaizah in 1350 AH. He joined school in 1356 AH (1937 AD), which is the year in which the first government school was opened in the city of Unaizah. He worked as a teacher in the same school from 1370 AH (1950 AD) until the beginning of 1375 AH (1954 AD). He opened in Unaizah the first private school for the eradication of illiteracy in the Kingdom in 1373 AH (1952 AD), and he and his colleagues volunteered to work in it. He established with his fellow teachers in 1372 AH (1951 AD) the first independent cultural club for schools in the Kingdom, and he was the General Secretary of the club. He founded with some interested parties the Charity Fund in Unaizah in 1372 AH (1951 AD), which is the first charity fund in the Central Region. He worked as a vice principal of the secondary school in Unaizah for two years, then vice principal of the Model Secondary School in Jeddah for a year, then principal of the Teachers Institute in Riyadh.