JEDDAH, 16 September 2004 — The Education Development Administration for Girls is receiving the curriculum for the new school year as it becomes available. Many schools, however, are still short of books.

There have been delays in the distribution of books because the storage and distribution agent did not receive the books in time and so had to deliver old books to the schools. Exactly what changes have been made to the curriculum are not yet clear. “We have set up a team comprising those with different specialties in order to compare the new books with the old to determine what changes have been made,” said Lamia Al-Haj, media and public relations director at the administration.

In a related development, an official at the Education Supervisory Administration for Girls said that a planning committee had conducted a survey to identify schools that are crowded, that are in need of renovation, and districts that need additional schools. A schedule has been made for the implementation of the plans. Eleven new girls’ schools were opened this year — two elementary, one intermediate, five high schools and three for Qur’an recitation. Among the important changes made this year is electronic registration using the Internet.

“School principals and administrators have had intensive training in using computers and e-mail and in how to solve problems that might occur,” said Muneera Al-Masoud, from the media and PR unit.

A few months ago, Al-Watan reported that a source at the Ministry of Education had indicated that the ministry was studying reducing the responsibilities of men for girls’ education and giving women a greater role and higher administrative positions. Arab News tried to confirm this but the only information available was that it is still being studied.

According to Al-Watan, the ministry believes that women are better suited to hold these positions, especially in light of the number of qualified women with post-graduate degrees.

Arab News was told that officials find it necessary to put women into “some administrative positions such as in the female students’ services unit and the women’s office for employee affairs. Preparations are being made in the two areas for this change.”

Al-Watan also reported on a new system in high schools that changes the goals, structure, methods and content in order to prepare students for further study as well as for the job market. It said the new system was being implemented this year in 13 boys’ and girls’ high schools in Riyadh, Makkah, Jeddah and the Eastern Province.

Preparations are under way to extend the system into all high schools over the next few years, a source at the Education Development Administration told Arab News. The new system allows students a more active role in their education by choosing the subjects that appeal to them; it encourages them to be more independent and develops their creative and investigative skills.

There is also a focus on developing practical skills. A student will take only seven subjects per semester, two semesters a year for three years. A failure in one subject will not mean the student must repeat the whole year. There are general requirement subjects which constitute 65.5 percent of the total hours needed to graduate.