The UQU Institute of Arabic Language for Non-Native Speakers, yesterday, Monday, via a video conference, concluded the training program held for the instructors at Saudi schools abroad who were delegated by the Ministry of Education, in cooperation with the Administration of Saudi Schools. The program was attended by the University President, Prof. Moaddi bin Muhammad Aal Madh-hab, the Deputy Minister of Education for University Education, Dr. Maha bint Abdullah Al-Sulaiman, and the General Director of the Administration of Saudi Schools Abroad in the Ministry of Education, Dr. Muhammad bin Abdul Aziz Al-Sudairi.

The training program has been designed to develop the capabilities of the delegated instructors and boost their efficiency in teaching the Arabic language (its skills, elements, and teaching tools) through a range of specialized courses in this field to create an educational environment in the different Saudi schools abroad that supports the orientations of the Ministry of Education. The program comes to activate the partnership between Umm Al-Qura University, represented by the Institute of Arabic Language for Non-Native Speakers, and the Administration of Saudi Schools Abroad in the Ministry of Education to enable the male and female instructors to attend the training programs and make use of this service remotely.

The UQU President, Prof. Moaddi bin Muhammad Aal Madh-hab, said the program boosts the leading status of the university in the Shari`ah-related sciences and Arabic Language, in addition to its scientific, training and technical capacity. He reiterated the importance of expanding prospects of cooperation and empowerment with the relevant parties in taking steps that serve the language of the Qur'an and contributing to the great honor of representing this blessed nation globally in a manner befitting its strategic position and global standing, under the umbrella of the wise leadership (may Allah support them).

He explained that the university, represented by the Institute of Arabic Language for Non-Native Speakers, which has been honored by obtaining the confidence of the royal authority in implementing a number of training programs abroad, is also delighted to take the honor of being the scientific and training extension of the Ministry of Education in its external programs.

On her part, the Deputy Minister for Educational Programs, Dr. Maha bint Abdullah Al-Sulaiman, said the program comes within the joint efforts and integration between the university and the Administration of Saudi Schools Abroad to achieve what the wise government has been organizing to provide all kinds of support to our brother countries, especially with regard to developing the educational aspects, dispatching excellent instructors in teaching the Arabic language, and providing specialized programs in teaching the Arabic language to non-native speakers.

The General Director of the Administration of Saudi Schools Abroad in the Ministry of Education, Dr. Muhammad bin Abdul Aziz Al-Sudairi, said the program is the first fruit of the cooperation with Umm Al-Qura University based on its heritage and excellence, stressing that the program will be followed by other partnerships and cooperation with this university and other universities in the Saudi Kingdom. He lauded the role of the kingdom in spreading the Arabic language and its culture by sending its outstanding graduates and delegates to about 30 locations around the world, including schools and educational missions, whose educational process the administration participate in following up and overseeing.

Moreover, the Dean of the Institute of Arabic Language for Non-Native Speakers, Prof. Hasan Bukhari, said the program contributed to qualifying the male and female instructors to keep pace with the latest developments in the field of teaching the Arabic language as a second language, highlighting the scientific and educational skills of the participants, and addressing the difficulties they face in the field as well as finding the best ways to solve them.

He added that the program lasted for a month and a half during which the trainees received about 4000 training hours, which was provided for ninety male and female instructors in 15 countries, including: Russia, China, Hong Kong, Australia, Pakistan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Maldives, Djibouti, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Morocco, Algeria, and Niger.