Edtech platform sharpens Saudi children’s language portfolio

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Cindy Mi is an english teacher for 25 years who founded the online learning platform VIPKid a decade ago and brought the company to Saudi Arabia about two years ago. (AN photo by Abdulrhman Bin Shalhoub/Supplied)
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CEO of VIPKid, Cindy Mi. (AN Photo by Abdulrhman Bin Shalhoub)
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VIPKid also initiated a pilot training program for local English teachers in 2023 designed to simultaneously raise the bar for both proficiency and pedagogy, which concluded last month. (AN Photo by Abdulrhman Bin Shalhoub)
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VIPKid also initiated a pilot training program for local English teachers in 2023 designed to simultaneously raise the bar for both proficiency and pedagogy, which concluded last month. (AN Photo by Abdulrhman Bin Shalhoub)
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Updated 10 August 2024
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Edtech platform sharpens Saudi children’s language portfolio

  • Empowerment of youth a common thread between Saudi Arabia and China, says CEO

RIYADH: An online teaching platform is strengthening Saudi children’s educational journeys while also unleashing the potential of local and international educators.

Cindy Mi, an English teacher for 25 years who founded VIPKid a decade ago and brought the company to Saudi Arabia about two years ago, told Arab News: “I’ve always been a student and a teacher myself. The goal is to build a global classroom to allow more children to get access to best quality language learning educational experiences … so they can be ready for their more globalized future.”

Since its founding in 2013, VIPKid has helped more than 1 million children worldwide learn English and delivered over 280 million live online classes in English and Mandarin.




Cindy Mi is an english teacher for 25 years who founded the online learning platform VIPKid a decade ago and brought the company to Saudi Arabia about two years ago. (AN photo by Abdulrhman Bin Shalhoub/Supplied)

The CEO was inspired to expand the platform to the region after speaking on a Future Investment Initiative session about the future of education with Saudi Ambassador to the US Princess Reema bint Bandar.

Reflecting on her discussion with Princess Reema, Mi said: “Her vision of empowering women and especially the youth of the Kingdom for the future was truly an inspiration.”

She added that Saudi Vision 2030’s goal to improve education was also part of the inspiration.

I can totally see so many women in the Kingdom, in the region, teach children around the globe and share the wonderful culture with the world.

Cindy Mi, VIPKid CEO

“We are very happy and honored to support the initiative by providing the children of the Kingdom with the highest quality language tutors from the US or from China, learning Mandarin Chinese and English, so that the children can be well prepared for the future.”

Over the years, VIPKid has built more than 10 core language-learning modules. It also offers over 1,800 supplemental elective classes for learning English and Mandarin.

VIPKid launched a pilot training program for local English teachers in 2023. It ended last month, and was designed to raise the standard for both proficiency and pedagogy.

Mi added that VIPKid’s multicultural programs allow experienced teachers from all over the world to meet with their Saudi counterparts in order to share best practices, improve subject matter competency and gain confidence in the classroom.

“We work with partners like government bodies, educational institutions and other tech companies so that we can help them launch similar programs, especially in the field of teacher training.”

In order to help students learn better at school, teachers also need to learn themselves, which requires investment, Mi said. “I think the Kingdom has invested a lot (in) teachers … it is very helpful for them to improve their language proficiency with a peer from other parts of the world.”

According to Mi, VIPKid’s classrooms are a safe space to make mistakes and teachers encourage students in ways that promote confidence. “That confidence would be the light in the learning,” she added. “It would be the lighthouse, and then the students would say, ‘Oh, I can do this. I can speak very confidently’.”

Noting the advancements and changes brought about by technology and artificial intelligence, Mi said that “the human part is always the most important.”

As a technology-dependent platform, the online institute has been able to create a more personalized learning experience for students with real-time feedback.

This has also opened up the prospect of AI teacher and student learning assistants, which allow both parties to identify improvement points through comprehensive analytical tools.

To improve the learning experience, VIPKid is leveraging its data to create an AI tutor who works with children to acquire the fundamentals of a language, such as phonetics, freeing up teachers to focus on more advanced topics.

“When it comes to technology, I think education can be affordable, accessible and personalized, that I think would unleash the potential of educators, but also truly be able to provide a high-quality learning experience for children across the globe,” she said.

Mi is also discussing the launch of Arabic tutoring programs with local partners: “There are so many children around the globe that are curious to learn the language, and also the many expats in the region … their children and family need to learn Arabic as well.”

She added that localizing further would benefit female teachers in the region by “the impact and income they can make.”

According to Mi, her experience in building a community of teachers with American, Canadian and Chinese teachers suggests that women tend to take up the profession more frequently: “I think women are equipped with the loving, passionate characteristics and personality to work with the kids.

“I can totally see so many women in the Kingdom, in the region, teach children around the globe and share the wonderful culture with the world.”

She added that “the empowerment of the youth for the future” is a common theme in China and Saudi Arabia.

“One thing I see VIPKid contributing is global educational resources and the teacher sources that can help children connect with the world and, at the same time, sharing our culture to the world as well,” she said.

 


Saudi Arabia’s KSrelief supports 13,300 Yemenis in education initiative

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Saudi Arabia’s KSrelief supports 13,300 Yemenis in education initiative

RIYADH: The second phase of the “Back to School” project in Yemen, funded by Saudi Arabia through its aid agency KSrelief, has supported 13,300 people across Hajjah, Abyan, Hadhramaut, and Perim Island in Taiz.

Running from Sept. 17, 2023, to Sept. 16, 2024, the project provided 95 classrooms equipped with chairs, whiteboards, lighting, and solar-powered fans.

It also distributed 1,900 school uniforms and bags with supplies.

In addition, KSrelief supported local women by training them to manufacture 950 bags, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.


Saudi aid agency KSrelief boosts medical services in Egypt, Jordan’s Zaatari refugee camp

Updated 24 min 3 sec ago
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Saudi aid agency KSrelief boosts medical services in Egypt, Jordan’s Zaatari refugee camp

  • Various clinics provide pediatric, eye, dental, emergency treatments, and open-heart surgeries for needy people

RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief has stepped up its healthcare services to reach more beneficiaries in Egypt and Jordan’s Zaatari refugee camp.

KSrelief’s clinics provided comprehensive medical services to 2,564 Syrian refugees at Jordan’s Zaatari camp during the last week of September, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.

During this period, the general medicine clinics treated 680 patients, and the internal medicine clinic saw 79 patients with diabetes, hypertension, and asthma.

The pediatric, emergency, dental and two gynecology clinics attended to 318 children, 314 patients, 109 patients, and 220 females, respectively, at the camp.

Also, the ear, nose, and throat clinic saw 43 patients with various infections. In addition, the eye, cardiology and diagnostic radiology clinics treated 80, 20 and 31 patients.

The health education department served 72 beneficiaries, and 2,340 medical prescriptions were filled at the pharmacy.

A team of volunteers including 14 specialist doctors performed 28 pediatric heart surgeries in Alexandria, Egypt, from Sept. 24 to 30.

The procedures included 23 open-heart surgeries and five cardiac catheterizations, all performed with a 100 percent success rate, said the SPA.

The project was a part of KSrelief’s efforts to provide critical healthcare services to people in need across the world.

“The surgeries were part of a volunteer medical project aimed at providing life-saving heart procedures for children from low-income families,” reported the SPA.


Saudi aid agency KSrelief provides food aid in South Sudan, Syria, Kyrgyzstan

Updated 41 min 33 sec ago
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Saudi aid agency KSrelief provides food aid in South Sudan, Syria, Kyrgyzstan

  • 3,700 families benefited from KSrelief food aid in South Sudan including the displaced, elderly, and people with special needs

RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief recently distributed food aid to vulnerable communities in South Sudan, Syria and Kyrgyzstan, according to separate reports from the Saudi Press Agency over the past few days.

In Syria, 6,870 earthquake-affected individuals in Idlib received 1,310 food packages and 1,310 hygiene kits.

As a part of KSrelief’s Food Basket Distribution Project in Bahr El-Ghazal state, South Sudan, 3,700 families benefited including the displaced, elderly, and people with special needs.

The aid agency also provided 435 food parcels in Talas, Kyrgyzstan, benefiting 2,175 individuals. This is a part of the 2024 food aid distribution project that aims to secure 8,100 packages for 35,000 individuals.

“This effort is part of a series of relief and humanitarian projects provided by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through KSrelief to support needy and affected groups worldwide,” the SPA reported.


Riyadh forum spotlights women’s leadership roles

Updated 07 October 2024
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Riyadh forum spotlights women’s leadership roles

  • Award-winning journalist encourages Saudi women to shape their narrative through media
  • Baria Alamuddin: Saudi Arabia is the heart of the Arab world in every sense of the word

RIYADH: The Creative Women Forum, held in Riyadh on Monday, gathered female leaders from around the world to discuss entrepreneurship, sustainability, innovation, technology, wellness, art, and sports.

Baria Alamuddin, an award-winning journalist and broadcaster in the Middle East and UK, and the editor of the Media Services Syndicate, delivered a keynote speech, urging Saudi women to engage with the media to share their stories.

“Saudi Arabia is the heart of the Arab world in every sense of the word,” Alamuddin said.

She shared stories of meeting, working, and interacting with Saudi women, adding she had “never seen women love their country like the women in Saudi Arabia,” and that she had “met some of the strongest women” in the Kingdom.

In an interview with Arab News, Alamuddin expressed her passion for highlighting Saudi women, explaining that she had been frustrated by not knowing enough about them.

After visiting the Saudi Arabia and meeting women in leadership positions, she was amazed by their drive and dedication to the country's development.

“I knew these women were strong, passionate, and driven, with a genuine desire to impact the development of their country,” Alamuddin said.

“Every time I visit the Kingdom, I am amazed by the progress of Saudi women.”

Alamuddin is one of the many distinguished female leaders speaking at the forum.

The two-day event focuses on business, startups, investment, health, female leadership, sports, sustainability, technology, and other key areas. It includes workshops, panel discussions, and question-and-answer sessions with industry experts.

Other topics at the forum include cultural and social transformation, finance, equality in careers, and women’s health and well-being.

Speakers included Princess Reema bint Bandar, Saudi ambassador to the US; Princess Noura Al-Saud, patron of the Creative Women Forum; Dr. Selwa Al-Hazzaa, CEO and founder of the digital health company SDM; and Dr. Basma Al-Buhairan, managing director at C4IR.


Madinah governor receives German ambassador

Updated 07 October 2024
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Madinah governor receives German ambassador

  • The German Embassy in Riyadh recently hosted the 34th Unity Day celebration at the ambassador’s residence in Riyadh

MADINAH: Madinah’s Gov. Prince Salman bin Sultan received German Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Michael Kindsgrab in Madinah on Monday.

The parties discussed topics of common interest, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The German Embassy in Riyadh recently hosted the 34th Unity Day celebration at the ambassador’s residence in Riyadh. The day marks the reunification of East and West Germany on Oct. 3, 1990.

Kindsgrab told Arab News that Hajj and Umrah were two of the many areas in which Germany and Saudi Arabia were cooperating. “That is just one example of how we can establish more people-to-people contact,” he said.