Jordan Times
Monday, September 24, 2001
Ministry completes installation of 20,000 computers in 930 schools
By Oula Al FarawatiAMMAN — Making good on its promise to have 20,000 computers up and running in 930 of the country's high schools, the Ministry of Education said it has finalised the installation of computers, thus preparing the schools for the nationwide `e-drive'. According to Mohammad Hiyari, the ministry's secretary general for technical affairs, the ministry has made sure that the computers, which were obtained through a $33 million Spanish loan, are distributed all around the Kingdom on an equal basis, with emphasis on rural and less privileged areas.
According to Hiyari, the ministry also distributed 5,000 computers that were purchased through a World Bank loan of $8 million. The computers were distributed to seventh grade classes in around 200 primary schools that will receive 15 computers each.
The computers are part and parcel of the ministry's country-wide project to spread computer and computer-based education, a scheme championed by His Majesty King Abdullah.
Also among the e-preparations of the ministry, Hiyari announced that 5,000 teachers have so far finished computer literacy courses. He added that 5,000 teachers are to receive training soon, while 1,300 teachers have just enrolled in courses designed especially to teach teachers in the fields of English and computer science.
An official said the ministry has distributed new English computer-based teaching books among the Kingdom's schools. The books, part of a series entitled “Action Pack,” along with CD-Roms will be used to teach the around 130,000 first and second graders.
Since he took over in February 1999, His Majesty King Abdullah has launched an energetic drive to make the IT industry the main engine of economic growth. A key component of this ambition, along with computer-literacy, is the introduction of English classes in all public schools starting in the first grade, a measure that became effective last year.