ALKHOBAR, 16 July — Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of e-mail that is none of my business. It’s not that I’m purposely trying to read correspondence that belongs to others, it’s just that many people are careless. Often these people are in a hurry and they aren’t paying a lot of attention to the address where they are sending the e-mail. That’s when I get to browse through some interesting stuff. Once in a while, it’s immediately apparent that the mail wasn’t intended for me, but more often than not I know the correspondent and at first glance I just think that I’ve been copied on the mail. It’s usually somewhere in the middle of the material that I realize I’m missing some vital information on the subject. Then I go back and start from the beginning and read the text more carefully. If I’m still confused at the end, that’s when I begin to suspect that the mail was misdirected.

In the past year, as e-mail has become the communication method of choice, people are dealing with numerous electronic messages both at work and at home. As they rush to handle the large volume of mail, mistakes happen. I have noticed too that in the Kingdom the number of misdirected mails has increased dramatically since the school vacation started and parents are squeezed for time.

I urge people to be more careful. Businesses have sent me everything from simple memos to confidential bid evaluations. Many managers have been horrified when I bounce a mail back to them with the message, “Was this mail intended for my edification?” Of course the answer is, “No,” and people then beg me to ignore what I’ve just read. I can choose not to act on the information I’ve been sent, but I can’t wipe it from my mind. I am certain such a situation makes those careless senders very uncomfortable.

Before you start getting too righteous, imagining that you could never make such a mistake, remember that all it takes is the slip of a finger on a pressure filled day. And when a mail gets misdirected it’s amazing where it can turn up. A few days back I received an e-mail from the United States that I believe a woman named Judy meant to send to her niece. Unfortunately, she sent it to me. I now know plenty about their family that I doubt they would have ever told me. The letter read:

“Hi! It was nice to get your message. You’re right. E-mails are a great way to communicate but I would rather pick up the phone and chat. When I want to get online it seems like everyone else in the house wants to use the computer too. I woke up this morning at 5:15 and finally got up at 5:30. Normally I get up at 5:45 with PPP and SSS. TTT is roofing again (for the summer) for the School District and VVV is back at Home Depot as a cashier. XXX returned back from Europe and is enjoying bumming around before starting law school. You might see him once in a while at his grandparent’s house on 3rd Avenue. Last week he spread bark and did yard work for them. His hair is down to his shoulders and is naturally curly. I actually love the curls. He said he was getting it cut. YYY is doing great since his stroke. He still has the lung cancer to deal with. Sunday we took him and ZZZ for a drive to the coast and enjoyed the weather and the drive. Well, my timer just went off so I need to take out the boysenberry pie. I like to bake early in the day before it gets too hot. By the way, why were you on morphine? Take care. Judy.”

Before you press the “send” button each time, double-check the “send to” address. It could save you a lot of embarrassment.

Last week my column was about the findings on information and communication technologies (ICT) which were contained in the UNDP Arab Human Development Report. Some people wrote that they felt very depressed after reading the report. I don’t believe that depression is the best reaction to have after considering the report’s findings. In fact, I really don’t think we have time to be depressed because there is so much to be done.

I wasn’t happy with the poor situation for ICT in the Arab world, but perhaps I wasn’t so disheartened because I have seen how much a few dedicated people can do when they have used ICT resources to improve the lives and futures of others.

Let’s take just one tiny example. In Saudi Arabia, mothers find it difficult to be involved in their sons’ education. Women are not allowed to enter the Saudi schools for boys. This means that frequently in Saudi Arabia, written notes are the only way that mothers and male teachers communicate. Often this is not ideal.

Years ago, at Dhahran Ahliyya Schools (DAS), a private, non-profit Arabic K-12 educational institution in the Eastern Province, it was decided that ICT would be used to enable effective communication between the mothers of the students and the male teachers. Since it was founded in 1977, DAS has always been on the cutting edge in the use of technology throughout the education process. This is due in large part to the efforts of the deputy president and co-founder of the school, Dr. Sarah B. Al-Turki, who experienced what a struggle it was for her as a mother, to play an important role in her own son’s education in the Kingdom.

The use of ICT at DAS takes several different forms. It is important to note that DAS is made up of sections for boys, girls and pre-school students, with each group taught separately. At the start of every school year, mothers of students enrolled in the boys’ school are invited to come to the auditorium at the girls’ school. There, through a one-way closed-circuit audio/video system, they are able to see their sons’ teachers and learn about the program and requirements for that year’s education. At the end of the presentation, the mothers are able to ask any questions they may have.

Once they know the teachers it is easier for the mothers to communicate with them in the future. The mothers may send written notes to the school. They are also provided with a schedule of times that the teachers may be contacted by telephone. If something serious arises that requires detailed explanation, the mother can request a meeting with the teachers and administration of the boys’ school through the use of a specially equipped audio conferencing room at the girls’ school. Through the use of all these ICT solutions mothers are able to remain an important presence in their sons’ education.

And after the mothers have worked so hard, when the moment of graduation comes, the mothers will be there too. It is very unusual for mothers in Saudi Arabia to see their sons graduate from secondary school or university. The DAS one-way closed-circuit audio/video system makes live coverage of the event possible. The mothers of the graduating class, along with hundreds of their female relatives, assemble at the DAS girls’ school. When the young men come into the auditorium of the DAS boys’ school, where their fathers and male relatives are waiting, the video cameras are on and the scene is projected onto a huge screen before the female audience. The clapping begins and the cheering follows. A boy’s graduation from DAS is a family and community celebration and one of the most joyous occasions that I have ever witnessed.

DAS is one of the most progressive schools in the Kingdom. In addition to the uses of ICT that I have mentioned above, DAS has separate computer labs for boys and girls. DAS also utilizes ICT in teacher training programs and curriculum enrichment. Does all this cost money? Yes it does, but through innovative budget management and the generosity of the Al-Turki family over the years, the fee for a year’s education at DAS is lower than that charged at most Arabic private schools or Western international schools in Saudi Arabia.

I know it’s not realistic to expect that the education offered at DAS will become the standard in Saudi public schools. I do believe though that less expensive technologies such as e-mail and even videoconferencing, using the Internet and mini-video cameras, could allow mothers with sons at public schools to participate more fully in the education process. As class size increases in public schools and teachers are severely stressed, ICT could enable mothers to help their sons succeed.

***

(Comments to [email protected])