Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05AMMAN1710
2005-03-01 14:45:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

FY-05 STUDY OF THE UNITED STATES INSTITUTE FOR

Tags:  OEXC SCUL JO 
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011445Z Mar 05
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 001710 

SIPDIS

ECA/A/E/USS (NMEYERS); NEA/PPD (DBENZE); NEA/ARN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OEXC SCUL JO
SUBJECT: FY-05 STUDY OF THE UNITED STATES INSTITUTE FOR
FOREIGN SECONDARY EDUCATORS

REF: SECSTATE 247161

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 001710

SIPDIS

ECA/A/E/USS (NMEYERS); NEA/PPD (DBENZE); NEA/ARN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OEXC SCUL JO
SUBJECT: FY-05 STUDY OF THE UNITED STATES INSTITUTE FOR
FOREIGN SECONDARY EDUCATORS

REF: SECSTATE 247161


1. THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTION NOMINATES DR. MOHAMMED OKOUR,
SECRETARY OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

SIPDIS
FOR SUBJECT PROGRAM.


2. THE FOLLOWING ARE NOMINEES' BIODATA:

PERSONAL INFORMATION:


A. NAME: MOHAMMAD-JOM'A YASEEN "OKOUR"
FIRST NAME: MOHAMMAD-JOM'A
MIDDLE NAME: YASEEN
FAMILY NAME: OKOUR

B. DATE OF BIRTH (MONTH/DAY/YEAR): 02/08/1959

C. CITY OF BIRTH: ASSARIH

D. COUNTRY OF BIRTH: JORDAN

E. COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE: JORDAN
F COUNTRY(S) OF CITIZENSHIP: JORDAN

G. HOME ADDRESS, TELEPHONE AND E-MAIL: P.O. BOX 1464 AMMAN,
JORDAN; TEL: (962-2) 7011112; E-MAIL: M-
OKOUR2000@YAHOO.UK.CO

H. GENDER: MALE

I. MEDICAL, PHYSICAL, DIETARY OR OTHER PERSONAL
CONSIDERATIONS: NO PORK

PROFESSIONAL INFORMATION:


J. PRESENT POSITION AND TITLE: SECRETARY OF THE BOARD OF
EDUCATION, MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

K. CURRENT INSTITUTIONAL AFFILIATION AND COMPLETE ADDRESS:
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, TEL: (962-6) 569-5048

L. WORK EXPERIENCE, INCLUDING PREVIOUS POSITIONS AND TITLES:
2000-2002 HEAD OF EDUCATIONAL TRAINING DIVISION, MINISTRY OF
EDUCATION; 1997- 2000 ENGLISH LANGUAGE SUPERVISOR IN IRBID
EDUCATIONAL DIRECTORATE; 1996 - 1997 ENGLISH CENTRAL
SUPERVISOR, EDUCATIONAL TRAINING CENTER; 1995 - 1996 ACTION
RESEARCH SUPERVISOR, EDUCATIONAL TRAINING CENTER; 1983 -
1995 ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHER IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS; 1981-
1983 JORDAN ARMED FORCES (MILITARY SERVICE) - GENERAL HEAD
QUARTERS


M. EDUCATION, ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL TRAINING:
B.A., ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE, YARMOUK UNIVERSITY,
1981; DIPLOMA IN TEFL, YARMOUK UNIVERSITY, 1981; M.A.,
ENGLISH LANGUAGE/TRANSLATION, YARMOUK UNIVERSITY, 1997; ICDL
CERTIFICATE

TRAINING:
-TRAINING ENGLISH TEACHERS TO USE PETRA AND AMRA ENGLISH
TEXT BOOKS, GRADES 5 TO 12
-TRAINING SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS ON ACTION RESEARCH
-A TRAINER AND COORDINATOR IN SCHOOL BASED DEVELOPMENT
PROJECT
-TRAINING SUPERVISORS IN NEW SUPERVISION METHODS AND
PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING PILOT SCHOOL PROJECTS
-WRITING AND PREPARING TRAINING MATERIALS TO SUPPORT SCHOOL
BASED DEVELOPMENT
-TRANSLATING A LOT OF TRAINING MATERIALS FOR THE EDUCATIONAL
TRAINING CENTER, AND FOR THE GENERAL DIRECTORATE OF
CURRICULUM

-TRANSLATING EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL FOR THE BRITISH COUNCIL IN
JORDAN
-COORDINATING CURRICULUM ACTION RESEARCH PROGRAMS IN SCHOOL
-FOLLOWING UP IN- SERVICE TRAINING COURSES IN THE FIELD
-ORGANIZING AND LEADING MEETINGS FOR TEACHERS AND
SUPERVISORS INVOLVED IN TRAINING PROGRAMS
-PREPARING ENGLISH TRAINING MATERIALS FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS:
BRAIN STORMING, DISCUSSION AND DIALOGUE, ACTION RESEARCH,
TEACHING ENGLISH VIA COMPUTER
-PARTICIPATING IN CONSTRUCTING THE ENGLISH FINAL TESTS
(TAWJIHI EXAMINATION) IN THE KINGDOM
-STUDYING THE NEEDS OF TRAINING CENTER IN AL RIYADH SCHOOLS
(SAUDI ARABIA) AND DESIGNING TRAINING PLAN FOR THE CENTER
-CHAIR PERSON OF THE CENTRAL TECHNICAL COMMITTEE OF TEACHING
ENGLISH VIA COMPUTER PROGRAM IN MOE
-CONDUCTING AND MONITORING MANY FIELD ACTION RESEARCHES
-A STUDY FELLOWSHIP TO BRITAIN FOR THREE MONTHS TO STUDY
ACTION RESEARCH (1995)
-ATTENDING A SUMMER COURSE IN TEACHING ENGLISH FOR YOUNG
LEARNERS AT YORK UNIVERSITY IN BRITAIN FOR 100 HOURS IN JULY
AND AUG
-A COURSE ON DEVELOPING CLASSROOM SKILLS IN THE
INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE TEACHER INSTITUTE/KUALA LUMPUR,
MALAYSIA (20 DAYS) IN 2002
-A TRAINING COURSE ON DEVELOPING SENIOR OFFICIALS IN MOE BY
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TRAINING, JORDAN (200 HOURS) IN
2004


N. ACTIVE PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS: MEMBER OF SEVERAL
EDUCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL COMMITTEES

O. SHORT LIST OF RELEVANT PUBLICATIONS:

P. PREVIOUS TRAVEL AND STUDY OR RESEARCH EXPERIENCE IN THE
U.S.: NONE

Q. ENGLISH PROFICIENCY: EXCELLENT

R. JUSTIFICATION FOR NOMINATION:
THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION IS EMBARKING ON A NEW INITIATIVE
TO ACHIEVE A QUALITATIVE LEAP IN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
WITHIN A THREE-YEAR SPAN. THE MINISTRY'S STRATEGIC PLAN
FOCUSES ON TWO KEY OBJECTIVES: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND
ENGLISH TEACHING. THE MINISTRY HAS ALREADY STARTED A
NATIONWIDE CAMPAIGN TO INTRODUCE INTERNET IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS,
UPGRADING AND EQUIPPING SCHOOLS WITH COMPUTERS AND COMPUTER
LABS AND INTRODUCING COMPUTER STUDIES AS AN ESSENTIAL
COMPONENT OF THE TAWJIHI (HIGH SCHOOL) EXAMS. IN ADDITION,
JORDAN HAS STARTED ON A NEW EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVE OF REFORM
FOR THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY PROGRAM. THIS INITIATIVE
REPRESENTS A LANDMARK STEP IN THE PROGRESS OF CHANGE IN
EDUCATION IN JORDAN. THE PROGRAM SETS OUT IN DETAIL THE
INTENTIONS FOR REFORM OF EARLY, BASIC AND SECONDARY
SCHOOLING WITHIN AN EXTENSIVE AND INCLUSIVE FRAMEWORK.

DR. OKOUR HAS AN IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE IN THE FIELD OF
TRAINING, CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS EXCELLENT
ORGANIZATION AND STRATEGIC PLANNING SKILLS DRAWN FROM TWENTY
YEARS WORK EXPERIENCE IN DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AT THE
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION IN JORDAN. HE IS ALSO HEAVILY
INVOLVED IN-COORDINATING CURRICULUM ACTION RESEARCH PROGRAMS
IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN JORDAN. THE PROGRAM WILL GIVE HIM NEW
INSIGHTS INTO THE AMERICAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM AS WELL AS
INTRODUCE HIM TO THE DIVERSE CRITICAL AND CULTURAL
APPROACHES THAT CAN BE APPLIED TO THE STUDY OF AMERICAN
STUDIES AT JORDANIAN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. DR. OKOUR'S
PARTICIPATION WILL SUPPORT MPP OBJECTIVES ON "U.S. SOCIETY
AND VALUES," AND "PROMOTING AMERICAN STUDIES."

--ACTION OFFICER: CAO, DONNA WINTON, PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTION,
AMERICAN EMBASSY; E-MAIL: TEL: (962-6) 590-6620; FAX; (962-
6) 592-0121


3. PLEASE ADVISE ACCEPTANCE.
HALE