Every exam season, millions of textbooks are destroyed in Saudi Arabia. According to Arab News, an estimated 80 million books are thrown away annually. This guide helps students and schools dispose of textbooks responsibly.
The Exam-Season Waste Crisis
Students often think they are "done" with a textbook after the exam. But these books retain value — next year students need exactly the same material. Cambridge and Edexcel curricula do not change every year. A physics textbook from 2023 is still valid in 2026.
School Recycling Initiatives in Saudi Arabia
The Royal Commission of Jubail schools launched a campaign urging students to take care of textbooks as "a religious and ethical obligation." They allocated containers for books to prevent destruction during exam periods. The Ministry of Education has encouraged colleges and universities to provide recycling bins.
University Book Donation Initiatives
- Dar Al Uloom University: "My Book, A Beacon of Knowledge" — collects academic books for reuse.
- Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University: "Donate Your Book" — distributes books to students.
- Riyadh Literary Club: Annual Charity Book Fair — collects donated books and sells them for charity.
How Kitaaby Can Help Students and Schools
Kitaaby offers a simple solution for textbook disposal:
- For students: Request a free home pickup of your old textbooks.
- For schools: Contact us about bulk pickup of end-of-year textbooks.
- For universities: We can collect academic books after graduation or at year-end.
Your textbooks will be listed on our store — either as giveaway (free) or at affordable prices. Next year students can find them and save money.
The Reuse Value
A Cambridge IGCSE Physics Coursebook costs about SAR 200 new. Through Kitaaby, a student can find the same book used for SAR 80-100 — or even free. This makes education more affordable for families across Riyadh.