RIYADH, 16 July — The General Organization for Technical Education and Vocational Training (GOTEVOT) will organize its second Saudi Technical Conference and Exhibition here in October as part of its plan to expose the Saudi youth to training and employment opportunities in the private sector.
This was disclosed at a press conference last night by Dr. David Burton, director of the British Council in Saudi Arabia. Dr. Burton said the British Council, which has wide experience in employment-related training, will also participate in the event. Peter Clack, British Council’s vocational education and training advisor, will present a paper on British experience in this field. The event comes against the background of the Saudi government’s decision to suspend work permits for expatriates in 22 professions. This is in addition to 13 other job categories reserved for Saudis since 1996.
Dr. Burton said the British Council has also been cooperating with the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry in putting together an on-the-job training scheme under which young Saudis will spend 80 percent of their training period in gaining practical experience and the rest on the theoretical aspects of the course.
Referring to his talks with Dr. Khaled Al-Sultan, deputy minister for higher education, Dr. Robin Baker, the new deputy director general of the British Council, said they dwelt on educational reforms. He disclosed that Professor Clive Booth, senior education advisor for the British Council, will visit Riyadh from Oct. 5 to 9 for discussions with the Ministry of Higher Education. "This is part of ongoing collaboration between the UK and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on shared interests and experience in the reform of higher education, with particular emphasis on quality control. Such a measure has become imperative in view of the proliferation of private colleges and a burgeoning population, growing at 3.5 percent annually.
At the school level, he said, the Ministry of Education is planning to introduce English teaching at the fourth grade level. As part of this effort, 22 out of 42 English language supervisors from different parts of the Kingdom will leave for the UK on July 23. They will study at the University of York as part of the Education Ministry’s "Train the trainer" program to prepare Saudi teachers for a career in English teaching. There will be equal emphasis on IT, science education, school leadership and management to bring about a qualitative change in school education.
Asked about the increase in enrollment for UK school examinations in the wake of Sept. 11 events, Dr. Burton said the number of students who sat the exams was 4,500 this year, up 27 percent over 2001. The examinations, designed by the universities of Cambridge and London are administered in the Kingdom by the British Council.
They are the main entry route for local expatriate students wishing to purse higher studies in the UK and elsewhere.
The occasion for last night’s press conference was a reception for Dr. Baker who arrived here from London on a short visit. Dr. Saleh Al-Malik, member of the Shoura Council, and Dr. Hamad Al-Baadi, secretary-general of King Abdul Aziz & His Companions Foundation for the Gifted, were also present.
