RIYADH, 5 July 2005 — Lessons in computer science and cooking as well as Qur’an memorization and recitation are being given in a summer program for students of 36 girls colleges in the Kingdom. The program began on Sunday.
Dr. Abdullah Al-Hossayen, undersecretary for girls colleges, said the program organized by the distance education center of the Education Ministry was aimed at helping girl students to use their spare time.
Spanning a period of six weeks (four hours weekly), the program includes Qur’an memorization and recitation classes from 4 to 5 p.m. Classes in computer science are given through satellite and the Internet.
“We have reached an agreement with six well-known hotels in Saudi Arabia to develop the girls’ cooking skills,” Al-Hossayen told reporters.
“We have established a complete kitchen at the studio and the cooking classes will be broadcast live to all the participating centers,” he said.
Every Tuesday, special workshops will be held in communication skills, social relations and matters related to bringing up children.
The workshops will be conducted by Dr. Abdullah Al-Sadhan, deputy minister of social affairs. Dr. Naif Abalkhail, director of the distance education center, said his organization was using the most advanced technology in the program.
“The distance education system will be implemented in 36 colleges in the first phase,” he added. The system was also used to teach English at 15 colleges.
“We have also used the facility to broadcast live the lectures of Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh, the grand mufti, and Sheikh Abdullah Al-Mutlaq, a member of the Council of Senior Islamic Scholars,” Abalkhail said, adding that more than 50,000 female students and college staff had benefited from them.
