RIYADH, 30 August 2005 — After reducing the size of the books, the Ministry of Education has distributed 500,000 copies of the new English textbook to sixth graders in all the Kingdom’s government schools, Arab News has learned.
Dr. Muhammad Al-Ohaidib, supervisor of the ministry’s sixth-grade English Curriculum Project, said that the textbooks had been revised and altered after supervisors, teachers and experts had requested changes. He said the new textbook had been reduced in size due to a decrease in content.
The reduction in content came in response complaints from teachers that the textbook contained too much information for students who were studying the language for the first time.
According to Al-Ohaidib, this new textbook will be distributed this year only as the ministry intends to revise and distribute new textbooks for Elementary, Intermediate and Secondary School English from the next school year. He also said the new English curriculum would include new teaching methods such as a cassette and a CD in addition to having the textbook online for accessibility. The ministry will run courses for both male and female teachers as well as for male and female supervisors in order to better prepare them for their jobs.
Al-Ohaidib said the 300 foreign teachers that the ministry had hired last year would continue to work because of a continuing shortage of English teachers.
Explaining why there is a shortage in English language teachers, the official said: “Many English language graduates prefer going to the private sector because of better salaries. The recent royal decree adding 15 percent to the salaries of all government employees should attract more graduates into the government sector.”
