AHSA: The majority of private training institutes recently shut down by the General Organization for Technical Education and Vocational Training (GOTEVOT) was because of the poor quality of training offered to the public, according to Waheed Saleh Al-Eid, Director General of the Administration of Private Training at GOTEVOT. He said the organization did not close the training institutes for no reason at all, as alleged by the owners. “The investors in the field should understand that the organization will never allow them to commercialize training and profit from it.” He said these institutes are meant to provide training to meet labor market needs. He said private institutes are recognized and certified by the Civil Service Bureau. Graduates with a diploma are employed by government at Grade 7 on its salary scale. Training courses organized by these institutes are recognized by the Ministry of Civil Service which employs graduates on Grade 6. This is why the GOTEVOT does not compromise on quality or allow its rules to be broken, said Al-Eid. A major objective of these institutes is to provide qualified Saudis who could replace foreign workers. He said investors often complain about the high fees charged by the GOTEVOT to run training courses. However, most investors are only looking to make quick profits and do not care about the quality of training offered. He said investors also get financial aid yearly based on the results of a GOTEVOT assessment. Al-Eid said there has been a limited number of training institutes for women because investors say they cannot meet the specifications required for the buildings. Private women's training centers were transferred from the Ministry of Education to the GOTEVOT about 18 months ago. He said the GOTEVOT laid down these conditions to develop the skills of both trainers and students. He said the ministry allows charity training institutes but philanthropists must provide models of the buildings and sign an undertaking guaranteeing that the institute is for purely charitable purposes. He said the organization oversees all the subjects taught at institutes with the exception of the English language and health subjects because the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties oversees these subjects and programs.
