The 14th Middle East expo “meetes'09” which ended here on Tuesday was a grand success with over 15,000 visitors and with the participation of more than 220 local and government educational and commercial departments. The expo, inaugurated on Sunday by Dr. Ali Bin Nasser Al-Ghufeis, Governor of the General Organization for Technical Education and Vocational Training (GOTEVT), showcased the latest developments in services used in preparing for education and training techniques. “We have arranged with the Ministry of Higher Education to make diploma certificates from the private sector equivalent to a complete year at government institutions,” said Dr. Nubarak Al-Tami, General Manager of the General Management for Private Training Department in the General Foundation for Technical and Vocational Training Institution. According to Al-Tami, the number of private institutions has increased during the last couple of years. There were 648 private institutions during the year 2008-09 with about 67,000 trainers, he said. “We are planning to facilitate training at private institutions by establishing new institutions in different locations around the Kingdom.” he said. “The aim of these meetings and seminars is to enrich the knowledge of young boys and girls to let them know the importance of training and steps that must be taken by them,” said Hani Bahwainin, head of the Media and Public Relations Department at the Council of Vocational and Technical Training Institution in Makkah. Several government as well as private universities and colleges participated in the exhibition. International and local universities, technical colleges, private schools, institutes, centers for the teaching of languages, and vocational and professional training institutions showcased their ability to develop education,” said Waleed Waked, Executive Manager of Al-Harthi Company. “A large number of Saudi universities and international services will join us from several countries, such as, the Netherlands, Brazil, Malaysia, Canada, Britain, Germany, Ireland, United States, Turkey, Switzerland, Cyprus, Australia, United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain,” added Waked.
