LEAD 2020 aims at academic excellence

Al-Abeer Medical Group and Sign’s Jeddah Chapter yesterday announced their joint program, LEAD2020, which aims at supporting talented Indian school students in the city to achieve academic excellence.
In the first phase, 80 talented students of Grades VI and VII will be picked for the program after conducting special qualifying tests. “This is first of its kind in the Kingdom,” said Ismail Maritheri, president of Sign, and English lecturer at King Abdulaziz University.
“The program aims at re-energizing Indian students living abroad and giving them right direction and guidance,” Maritheri said while urging the support of parents, teachers, schools and cultural organizations. “We’ll organize this program without affecting studies,” he said.
Organizers will conduct a two-hour examination in English, mathematics, general knowledge and mental ability to select the best students.
“The mark obtained in the final school exam as well as in the qualifying test will be considered for selection,” Maritheri said.
In the final round of the selection process, potential candidates have to appear for a written test, group discussion and a personal interview.
Speaking about the benefits to be gained by the participants, Salah Karadan, academic director, said they will be eligible for a 70-hour foundation course of international standard, civil service exam coaching courses, all-India professional exam coaching courses, educational trips and leadership workshops.
Maritheri said his organization has obtained considerable experience by conducting the same program focusing on highly talented students in the backward areas of Malabar in Kerala. “We intend to make these students future leaders by providing them with continuous training and guidance,” he said.
Sign has already started training courses for students selected from Malappuram, Calicut, Kannur and Vynad districts of Kerala. “We organize a variety of educative programs to develop their talents,” he said.
Jabir Valiyakath, CEO of Al-Abeer Group and Imran, quality controller, reiterated their support for the educational program.
Maritheri, himself a leadership trainer, spoke about Sign’s initiatives to develop manpower resources in the south Indian state of Kerala.
“We organize a variety of manpower development courses in Kerala,” he said, adding that youths, students, housewives, jobseekers and employees benefit from them. “We also conduct research on social and educational problems in the state and present effective proposals to solve them,” he added.