The Ministry of Education has highlighted all its preparations for the new school year, 2023-2024, and presented detailed information about private schools and higher education institutions during a press conference, chaired by Dr. Mohammed bin Mubarak Juma, Minister of Education and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Higher Education Council (HEC).
Officials from various educational sectors and representatives of the national press attended.
Addressing the press conference, the minister congratulated students and parents, as well as teachers and administrative staff across Bahraini schools on the new academic year.
While reviewing the achievements and the decisions taken to serve education in the kingdom, Dr. Juma said that the decision to register students born between September and December 2017 has had a positive impact on parents and Bahraini families, noting that the move contributed to enrolling as many as 5,000, which increased the number of first primary school students to 15,000 up to new.
He indicated that the new school timing will be activated this year, noting that the school day will end at 12:30 pm for primary school students, 01:15 pm for intermediate students and 01:45 for secondary students, noting that the decision will enhance the students’ communication with their families and relatives.
He pointed out that many programmes aimed at improving the students’ performance and mastery of various cognitive skills will be implemented this year. These include the expansion of the students’ training on TOFEL and IELTS tests to cover all secondary school students following the success of last year’s experience as shown by the students’ results.
He also revealed that a weekly period would be devoted to the reading skill in English for the intermediate students, given its importance in improving their mastery of other English Language skills, namely writing, speaking and listening.
He also expressed the Ministry’s interest in raising the students’ competence in the Arabic language by devoting periods to reciting the Holy Quran for the first cycle of primary education students, which aims to enhance their mastery of the Arabic language from an early age, and reflect positively on their behavior.
Dr. Juma affirmed the Education Ministry’s interest in students with special needs, including those with mental challenges, noting that their classes will be expanded and well-equipped, and transportation will be provided for them.
Regarding higher education, the minister indicated that one of the most important achievements is the inclusion of all private higher education institutions within the universities recognised by the Saudi Ministry of Education, in addition to the success of a number of governmental and private higher education institutions in obtaining important international accreditations, which would enhance their local and regional status.
Nawal Ibrahim Al-Khater, Policies, Strategies and Performance Undersecretary at the Ministry of Education, also addressed the press conference. She said that the number of students in the kingdom’s 209 government schools is about 155,000, while the number of those in the 80 private schools is more than 90,000.
She added that the Mariam bint Omran Primary Girls’ School will be reopened this year following the completion of its maintenance, adding that maintenance work will be completed in some schools early September.
She also unveiled that some new academic buildings have been constructed, and new classes, buses and workers have been added to cope with the growing number of students.
She added that the maintenance of some air conditioners, the installations of new ones and the provision of new services for students with special needs will ensure a comfortable return to school for students.
HEC Secretary-General, Diana Abdulkarim Al-Jahrami, said that the number of higher education institutions and students will increase during the upcoming academic year.
She unveiled that new academic programmes, such as Internet Sciences, the Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence, will be offered this year, in line with the needs of the labour market.
She asserted that the achievements of the kingdom’s higher education institutions and their success in obtaining regional and international accreditation will boost investment in Bahrain’s higher education sector.
Source: Bahrain News Agency