JEDDAH, 10 March 2007 — A number of Saudi intellectuals have called for having Internet available in schools and universities free of charge. They say such a measure is essential in order to take the Kingdom to a new era of scientific and technological progress.
According to press reports, the 150-member Shoura Council recently rejected a proposal made by a member in this respect on the grounds that telecom companies in the country were operating commercially.
Khaled Al-Awad, the Shoura member who made the proposal, said he wanted the Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC), the Kingdom’s telecom regulator, to adopt a national project in association with the state and the private sector for providing Internet and telephone services to schools and universities free of charge.
The proposal meshes well with the King Abdullah Project for the Development of Public Education, which was approved by the Cabinet last month. Education Minister Abdullah Al-Obaid said the King Abdullah project was aimed at keeping pace with scientific and technological development. Under the project, teachers will be provided with modern education tools and told to use it.
“They will also be given intensive training to help them with modern developments and changes,” the minister said.
Al-Obaid also said the ministry would carry out seven training programs for more than 400,000 teachers. These refresher courses will focus on subjects of specialization, school management, educational supervision, computer science, self-development and improvement of skills.
“The atmosphere in classrooms will be improved by providing modern technological facilities such as interactive boards, display devices, communication network and Internet services,” Al-Obaid said when unveiling the project.
The Shoura Council did not approve Awad’s proposal but it did ask telecom companies to provide Internet service to educational institutions at discounted rates that would cover the costs.
Opponents of the proposal argued that the telecom companies that run commercially would not provide free service and Awad said he agreed with their reasoning.
“But my proposal was that the CITC adopt a project involving the state and all other relevant parties including the private sector to provide free Internet and telephone service to schools and other educational institutions such as universities,” Al-Riyadh Arabic daily quoted Awad as saying.
He said if implemented, the project would bring about a major change in Saudi society. “In all advanced countries information technology is used as a major education tool,” he observed.
