India mulls ICT centre in Riyadh

A delegation of top academicians, led by UGC Chairman Sukhdev Thorat will meet a group of Saudi businessmen in Riyadh to explore the possibility of setting up an Information and Communication Technology centre there with Indian assistance.

At a meeting with Education Minister Abdullah Al-Obaid, India's HRD Minister Arjun Singh, who is visiting the country, offered India's support in setting up an ICT centre in Riyadh. The high-level team of academicians is accompanying Singh.

Indian officials have said President of the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry Abdu Rahman Al-Jeraisy had shown keen interest in the Indian proposal. 

On the prospects of Indian teachers in Saudi schools, Saudi Deputy Minister of Eucation and Culture Ibrahim Al-Shiddi said it would be premature to seek India's help at the moment.

"We are evaluating the result of the experiment of introducing English from the sixth standard. Once we know the result involving Saudi teachers, we shall have an idea of the requirement for foreign teachers needed when we introduce English from the fourth standard," he said.

He said the country had the option of initiating a programme involving experienced foreign teachers to train Saudi teachers.

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