480 Saudi education officials to be trained in Singapore

RIYADH: Approximately 480 Saudi education officials and associated personnel are expected to be trained in curriculum design and assessment within the framework of an ambitious education initiative undertaken jointly by the Kingdom and Singapore.
This was revealed by Singapore Ambassador Lawrence Anderson in an exclusive interview to Arab News on Tuesday.
Anderson, who also spoke about the growing bilateral cooperation in various sectors including in the field of airport management, said that “Singapore and Saudi Arabia have collaborated across a variety of industries, leveraging on Singapore’s recognized excellence in transportation, logistics, education, oil and gas, and environmental services.”
Referring to the new education projects, the envoy said that Singapore was also keen to share its education expertise with Saudi Arabia, adding that at the forefront of the education partnership is the agreement between Singapore’s National Institute of Education and Tatweer Education.
To this end, he said that 480 leadership trainers from the Kingdom will be sent to Singapore for training in curriculum design and assessment, as well as science, mathematics and special needs education.
Asked about the ongoing airport project, he pointed out that the cooperation project between the Singapore-based Changi International Airport (CAI) and the Dammam-based King Fahad International Airport (KFIA) seeks to develop human capital, airport and retail management, operations efficiency and service quality management, as well as hub and route development.
He pointed out that the cooperation has seen KFIA achieve unprecedented growth in the number of operating airlines, passenger traffic and city links, in addition to doubling the airport’s non-aeronautical revenues. KFIA is now served by 36 airlines across 65 cities, he noted. In 2013, passenger volumes exceeded that of other airports within the catchment area for the first time in KFIA’s history.
Regarding the events planned to be staged in the Kingdom on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Singapore’s independence, Anderson said that the Singapore embassy in Riyadh had worked together with Singapore Airlines, Singapore Tourism Board, and the Four Seasons Hotel to organize a food festival this year. In addition, the embassy would also be hosting an official National Day reception in Riyadh on Nov. 11.
He said that the Singapore Consulate General in Jeddah has been very active in promoting Singapore and in its efforts to mark Singapore’s golden jubilee this year. The consulate hosted a “Singapore Movie Night” at the Asian Film Festival early this year, to further encourage this trend. In addition, the consulate will also be organizing a major Singapore food festival in Jeddah in October this year.