Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Ibtisam Al-Shahri, spokesperson of the Ministry of Education, said that teaching of English language in the first grade of elementary schools would start from the beginning of next academic year.

“The distance learning, which is linked with future programs and strategies, will continue until after the end of the coronavirus pandemic,” she said.

Attending the YaHalaShow of Rotana Khalijia channel, the spokesperson said that a new subject — digital skills —will be incorporated into the curriculum of fourth grade students of elementary schools from the coming academic year.

She unveiled major features of the ministry’s move to revise the curriculum in the near future.

“The ministry is keen on reviewing the entire curricula and verifying the information and data contained in them.

“The subject of Islamic education including topics such as monotheism, jurisprudence, Hadith, and interpretation of Qur’an will be in one book,” she said, adding that this will help avoid duplications in old curricula.

Al-Shahri noted that distance learning is essential in the current period due to the unprecedented situation brought about by coronavirus pandemic.

“It is not possible for students to return to schools and resume their studies there due to the anxiety about the health of boy and girl students and their teachers and officials.

“The current experiment of remote learning and the technological skills demonstrated by students and parents in their interaction with the Madrasati platform made us emphasize that the ministry bears in mind that the distance learning experiment heralds a new era and a novel concept in the world of education in the form of electronic education or integrated education that will be realized in the near future,” she said.

According to Al-Shahri, remote education will also help students to interact with their teachers and their classmates even after the school hours.

“The distance learning will not remain for a temporary period but rather it will be associated with the ministry’s future plans and strategies,” she added.