An exhibition to show the Kingdom’s plans for education, with their greater stress on training, has been timed to coincide with the new academic year. The exhibition, the Middle East Education and Training Exhibition and Symposium 2003 (MEETES), is scheduled to take place at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s International Exhibition and Convention Centre, Madinah Road, from 14-19 September.
Highlights of the Exhibition include displays of information on long-distance learning, universities and polytechnics, private schools, language schools and centres, audiovisual and computer facilities, software and training, vocational education, training in equipment and supplies, textbooks and curricula, furniture and other facilities and systems.
MEETES will be held alongside CommTel, which will exhibit computers and mobile telephone facilities and services. “MEETES will display exhibits on all aspects of education,” said a senior management executive at Al-Harithy Company for
Exhibitions, which is organizing the event in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and King Abdul Aziz University (KAAU).
A report published by Arab News said that the exhibition has assumed increased importance with the ongoing intensive campaign for Saudisation and the creation of new job opportunities.
The Kingdom’s budgetary provision for education exceeds $14 billion, which has included the construction of 369 schools and colleges, and an increased budget for the General Organization for Technical Education and Vocational Training (GOTEVOT).
The Kingdom has eight universities, over 100 colleges and 26,000 schools. An estimated five million students are enrolled in the Kingdom’s education system.
A number of leading government and private agencies will be working together to present a series of seminars alongside the show. Others supporting the event include British Trade International, the British Council, the British Educational Suppliers
Association, the U.S. Educational Group, the Canadian Education Network, and the International Federation of Training and Development Organizations.
Source: SPA
