US embassy cable - 05AMMAN1710

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