The coronavirus pandemic changed education across the globe forever. In Saudi Arabia, the use of e-learning methods and platforms have been firmly established and the return to brick-and-mortar classrooms is still nowhere in sight. Upon the new changes, the Kingdom has chosen to appoint Dr. Ohoud bint Abdullah Al Faris as Supervisor of the General Administration of E-learning and Distance Education at the Saudi Ministry of Education.
The landmark appointment was made by Education Minister Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sheikh, days following his announcement that the first weeks of the upcoming school year, which is expected to commence on the 30th of August, will center on distance-learning programs as part of the country’s larger efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Schools in Saudi Arabia are set to open on August 30. Are you worried about sending your kids back to classrooms?https://t.co/IL7X2BcoTY
— About Her (@AboutHerOFCL) August 16, 2020
Speaking on her recent appointment to the media, Dr. Al Faris thanked the education minister and emphasized the importance of the e-education directorate saying, “I thank the education minister for his confidence by granting me supervision of electronic education and distance-learning at this crucial stage of developing electronic educational tools and strategies.
“Despite the great challenges facing e-education in the world as a result of the global coronavirus pandemic, the kingdom with unlimited support from its wise leadership and related bodies has succeeded in assimilating these circumstances and providing distance- learning opportunities for all,” she continued.
Prior to this landmark appointment, Dr. Al Faris was Dean of the College of Computer Science and Information at the Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh, and was also Deputy Dean of E-Education and Distance Learning at King Saud University. She holds a PhD in Computer Science and Information from Brunel University in London, and has a diploma in development practices in higher education from the same institution.
