BURAIDAH, 13 August — The Ministry of Education will recruit more than 500 foreign teachers to teach English in Saudi public schools starting from the academic year scheduled to begin on Sept. 24.
"We have contracted with 500 teachers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria and Kenya to meet our needs in teaching English which is being introduced in the primary level for the first time in Saudi Arabia this year," Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Mohanna, head of English Department at the Ministry of Education told Arab News in an interview here while taking part in a special training program for teachers of English in Qassim.
In addition to Saudis, teachers from Arab countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Sudan will also be recruited to teach English in the primary level, he added. English will be taught two classes a week in the fourth primary grade only.
" English will be introduced in the fifth grade next year and in the sixth grade the year after," he explained. " The text book is ready and will be available from the first day of the academic year," Al-Mohanna said, adding that other accompanying materials will also be distributed and these include a teacher’s book, a work manual, video cassettes, audio cassettes, flash cards and posters.
A website has been designed to help students, teachers and parents interact with the new curriculum, Al-Mohanna pointed out. The new book, called English Time for Saudi Arabia ( ETSA ), consists of 24 units designed to suit the Saudi environment. The new curriculum has been designed by a specialized foreign company represented by Al-Solateeh for Education and Learning, a local publishing house.
"But the book has been modified according to the guidelines written by the National Committee of English at the Ministry of Education to make it suitable for the Saudi environment," he explained. Experts from the educational supervision at the ministry, the general directorate of curricula, Imam Mohammed ibn Saud Islamic University and private consulting houses have participated in the modification process.
Students of the fourth primary grade will be evaluated throughout the year, he said. "The Ministry of Education sent 44 educational supervisors to Leeds and York universities in the UK to attend special training programs in teaching English for young learners," Al-Mohanna said.
