Saudi educators and parents are urging the government to provide summer courses for students during the three-month school holiday break. Parents feel that students lose track of their studies during the long holiday period. Most students waste their ime playing various games or hanging around doing nothing late into the night and then sleeping until late in the afternoon. “Once vacation starts, my three sons sleep the whole day, and play video games till the wee hours of the night,” said Ali Yousef, a Saudi father. He wants the authorities to start summer courses, especially in science subjects and English, because he does not have the financial means to register his sons in private courses. “Honestly, I feel sad because I cannot travel abroad during the summer break to study English. My parents will not allow me to travel abroad alone,” said Mohanad Yehya Safhi, 14. “Summer school is a good idea, but I could not attend to get the credit hours at high school summer courses because of the excessive heat,” said Lama Mansoor, who is in her first year of school. Fatima Mohammad, a mother of two school-going children, considers summer holidays the most difficult time because her children keep her on her toes all day. “If they join summer school, they will spend quality time and will learn skills and be better equipped for the new academic year,” added Fatima. Mohammad Ba-Aishra, supervisor of the creative program of Mawhiba (King Abdul Aziz and His Companions Foundation for Gifted) at Dar Al-Dhikr School, told the Saudi Gazette that they are running summer program entitled “The Fun Sciences,” which has been divided into three categories. “The first category involves teaching chemistry and energy, the second teaches students teamwork, and the third teaches them to respect the opinion of others,” said Ba-Aishra. The courses run from 6.30 A.M. to 4.30 P.M. FACTFILE n English language summer course at British Council costs about SR 2,250 to SR3,000. n The Holy Qur'an courses cost between SR300 and SR500. __
