Case Studies – Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu
Being told that Promethean ActivClassroom solutions can transform teaching and learning is one thing, seeing it all in action is another. Once the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu (RCJY) from Saudi Arabia visited Promethean in Blackburn and saw Promethean products being used in UK schools, they knew they were making the right choice. They’d seen the proof for themselves.
“They could picture the benefits of ActivBoard when I first presented to them,” says Majeed Sharaf, Promethean Middle East consultant. “But the head of education services wanted to go to the UK before making the decision. I saw this as an important part of our partnership relationship and was happy to arrange the trip.”
The RCJY is responsible for providing the infrastructure in the industrial cities of Jubail and Yanbu. It runs 19 schools for boys in the cities, of which 14 are now equipped for e-learning. Two schools have Promethean ActivBoards in every classroom, while most of the others have five each. In total 112 ActivBoards have been fitted in RCJY schools to date.
The RCJY receives ongoing support from Promethean and channel partner, UKS (Universal Knowledge Solution). This includes attendance at events and exhibitions, giving demonstrations and personal visits to train teachers on the latest software.
Majeed initially delivered local training in Arabic for around 50 teachers. This enabled them to attain the Foundation Skills. From this group, two teachers went on to complete the Advanced Level 2 course and won an elearning award. Now these teachers are using their knowledge and skills to deliver training in schools themselves.
“It’s great to look back after a year and see that the foundations you laid have been of real, long-lasting benefit,” said Majeed. “The teachers here are now all confident with their ActivBoards and using them heavily every day. Thanks to the support and training offered by Promethean we can honestly say that the teaching here has been transformed. And in turn, these educators are actively transforming learning in Saudi Arabia.”