RIYADH, 20 May 2004 — A local Islamic organization is making use of high technology for producing textbooks, CDs, VHS cassettes, TV serials and radio programs designed to teach Arabic. A contract for the production of the “Arabic for All” program was signed on behalf of the Islamic Waqf Est. by Dr. Mohammed A. Al-Shaikh and Abdul Rahman Al-Nafissa, director general of Assatir for Artistic Production and Distribution.
Speaking after the ceremony, Dr. Al-Shaikh said that the program had been running for the last five years during which it produced the “Arabic for All” series for several countries. The program’s format is modeled on the BBC’s ‘Follow Me” series.
The Islamic Waqf Est. is a charitable organization that relies on donations for its work. The promotion of Arabic among non-Arabic speakers by high-tech marks an extension of its activities in the educational field. Dr. Al-Shaikh explained that the project represents a new initiative on the part of the Islamic Waqf Est. to promote the language of the Qur’an which, according to statistics, over 70 percent of Muslims do not know well.
Besides producing CDs, designing Internet sites and producing TV and radio programs, the project will also include the development of a complete scientific curriculum for teaching Arabic language according to the most advanced academic methods. A novel feature of the program will be designing a website for teaching Arabic and producing a pocket-size electronic device for teaching Arabic similar to the electronic pads or palm tops.
“We will also hold competency tests which will be the Arabic equivalent of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL),” Dr. Al-Shaikh said. He added that specialized courses would also be organized to qualify Arabic language teachers and to raise their professional standards.
