BURAIDAH, 6 February — The Ministry of Education has invited all specialized national companies and establishments to design new books for the ministry for the various stages of education. A source from the ministry said the first stage of this project will include designing new curricula for secondary, intermediate and elementary stages. "Designing the curriculum will start with the first elementary grade, the fourth elementary grade, the first intermediate grade, and the first secondary grade," said the source and added that the changes for other classes will follow. The project of developing curricula, currently executed by the ministry, will include designing a pupil's book for every subject, a teacher's guide, providing a CD together with every book authored and designing an interactive website in the Internet for every subject, the source added. A special committee has been formed to choose from applicants to this ambitious project. There are certain qualifications and requirements that should be met by all applicants, the source said. Among the subjects to be changed is English. "We do not know whether the ministry will introduce English in the fourth elementary grade as previously announced," said one teacher of English in Qassim. The move to change the English curricula comes after 10 years. Some teachers were critical of the move. "We, as teachers, were supposed to take part in designing the new books, but they have changed their minds for no obvious reason and instead they have called upon national companies to write the new materials," a teacher said. "One of the most important criteria of the efficiency of the curricula is allowing those who are in the field to write up the materials," said the teacher.
