MADINA: The Ministry of Education has set up a specialist team of academics to develop the English-language program at schools across the country, tasking experts from various universities with drawing up a plan for a development program to be approved by the Higher Committee for Curricula. The move comes only days after the Cabinet officially approved the teaching of English at primary schools from Grade 4, to begin at the start of the next academic year. Ouda Al-Juhani, Dean of the Research and Consultations Institute and member of teaching staff at the Faculty of Literature and Human Sciences at Al-Taiba University, said the committee would study the development plan and program, the reference and methodological framework and the work on development. “It will also study the professional development programs for English-language teachers in accordance with global standards, the difficulties and challenges they posed for the project, and periodical reports on work progress, and will provide recommendations,” he said. “The project will have a significant impact on the standard of students' English.”