Mohammed Alshoaiby Saudi Gazette With about 27 percent of the global population speaking English, it has been established as the agreed upon international vernacular for several key industries, including technology, energy and banking. English is the third most commonly spoken language in the world, behind Mandarin and Spanish, though it remains the first and only language considered a bridge-language in the age of globalization. Ross Smith of Cambridge University published an article in the Cambridge Language Journal describing English as a lingua franca, or the working language, of global business. The Kingdom's global economic standing attracts investors from around the world, most of whom speak English as a first or second language. “English is the language of science and technology,” said Abdoulrahman Alghofaili, Deputy Director General of Riyadh Schools. “English is a threshold for the Kingdom to achieve the aspirations of the knowledge economy. “English language proficiency has become a requirement and a demand for the market. “[Its] learning is oriented to help students in their higher education. It prepares students to pass the SAT1 exam that is required for many universities.” Riyadh Schools is one of the premier schools in the Kingdom that focuses on the English language as a developmental tool for nurturing students. According to Alghofaili, a Saudi school with a developed English program is paramount to parents and students. Riyadh Schools has recently graduated their first batch of students from their American High School Diploma system, an English-centric curriculum accredited by the American North Central Association (NCA). “Offering different curricula at Riyadh Schools provides students with varied opportunities that meet their different abilities, needs and interests,” said Alghofaili. “Besides that, offering different curricula meets the market's pressing needs for different programs that parents want for their children.” Students who opt for the American High School Diploma study all major subjects, including math and sciences, in English, as well as conclusive Islamic and Arabic courses. The NCA accredited program is currently for high school and middle school students only but Alghofaili has confirmed that the school plans to offer the option to students from grade one starting next year. Riyadh Schools' American High School Diploma is aimed to prepare students for higher education inside the Kingdom and abroad, according to Alghofaili. This program comes amid the rapidly growing interest in the English language in the Kingdom. The King Abdullah Foreign Scholarship Program, which is now in its eighth phase, has sent over 70,000 students to the United States alone, a steep jump compared to just 11,000 students in 2006. In consideration of the increase in Saudi foreign education, schools in the Kingdom are following Riyadh Schools' example, offering SAT prep courses and intensive English programs. Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Seghayer wrote a piece for the Saudi Gazette last year, where he studied the status and functions of the English language in Saudi Arabia. “English currently serves several functions and enjoys an eminent status in various sectors at all levels within the Kingdom,” said Al-Seghayer in his article. Al-Seghayer attributed the Kingdom's growing interest in the English language to what he referred to as rapid changes in the country's social fabric. “The flux of foreign manpower, the ever-evolving attitudes of the Saudi people toward English, as well as the presence of various media sources cannot be ignored if an accurate picture of the current status of the English language in the Kingdom is to be presented.” Al-Seghayer also indicated the status of English as the exclusive language of higher education programs in the fields of science, engineering and medicine. Saudization is also a reason for an English-centric education, with more Saudis entering the private sector according to the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation's website. In 2003, higher education facilities in the Kingdom hired 4,500 Saudis to teach English, outnumbering expatriate teachers in accordance with the Saudization program, according to a report by United Press International (UPI). Saudi Arabia, being the world's leading producer of oil, has become a hub for foreign investors and joint ventures. With a literacy rate of 81 percent according to UNESCO's 2010 survey, an employment rate of 87.8 percent and a rapidly growing scholarship program, English is a compulsory second language in Saudi schools. Alghofaili said on the importance of learning English: “It integrates the spirit of an international program and a culturally national education. The effect enables the students to behave as global citizens with deeply rooted and tolerant Islamic values.”
