JEDDAH, 20 August — The government yesterday decided to postpone its plan to introduce English language lessons to primary schoolchildren, saying the move required further studies.
The decision was taken by the weekly Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prince Abdullah, the regent.
“The Cabinet found the matter required detailed and careful studies by the Supreme Committee for Educational Policy,” Acting Information Minister Dr. Madani Allaki told the Saudi Press Agency after the Cabinet meeting.
The Cabinet asked the committee, which supervises the Kingdom’s school curricula, to report its findings to the higher authorities to take a final decision on the issue.
The Education Ministry had already begun preparations to start teaching English to fourth graders (10 years olds) in the coming academic year, which begins in September.
Currently, English education starts in the seventh grade (13 year olds) at public schools. Private international schools, which come under the direct supervision of the Education Ministry, teach in English.
The ministry has trained some 300 Saudi teachers and was in the process of hiring 900 foreign teachers for the project.
The plan to expand English education was adopted a few months ago by Education Minister Mohammed Al-Rasheed following a heated debate over the issue in the consultative Shoura Council.
During the Cabinet meeting, Prince Abdullah briefed the ministers on his talks with Jordan’s King Abdallah and Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh. He said the talks covered major developments in the region, especially the Palestinian issue.
The regent expressed happiness over the improving Saudi relations with Jordan and Yemen and the coordination with them to pursue Arab causes. He also emphasized the need for strengthening Arab solidarity.
The meeting approved the amended version of 1992 Protocol of the International Agreement on Civil Responsibility for Oil Pollution.
The Cabinet authorized the Ministry of Justice to issue regulations to organize the duties of marriage officials. These regulations will cover licensing and punishment.
The Cabinet appointed a new board of directors for the General Organization for Social Insurance.
The board members are: Abdullah ibn Mohammed Albabtain, representative of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs; Dr. Rashid ibn Suleiman Al-Humaid, representative of the Ministry of Health; Abdul Mohsen ibn Abdul Aziz Al-Fares, representative of the Ministry of Finance and National Economy; Suleiman ibn Abdul Rahman Al-Saleh; Ibrahim ibn Yousuf Kurdi; Khaled ibn Mohammed Al-Bawaridi; Saud ibn Saleh Al-Saleh; Dr. Ibrahim ibn Yousuf Shaqdar; and Muneer ibn Mahmoud Rafie.
The Cabinet also approved the appointment of Dr. Ali ibn Abdul Rahman Al-Qasim as director general of financial and administrative affairs at the headquarters of the National Guard, Dr. Abdullah ibn Ali Al-Muneef as administrative advisor at the headquarters of the National Guard and Saleh ibn Abdullatif Saleh as ambassador at the Foreign Ministry.
Meanwhile, Prince Abdullah received a telephone call from King Hamad ibn Isa Al-Khalifa of Bahrain. The two leaders discussed the latest developments in the region, particularly the situation in Palestine, as well as bilateral issues and matters of mutual concern.
