Learning and Teaching English on Soqotra

The Soqotra Training Centre (STC) was started in 2000 to provide facilities for Soqotran students to learn English and to be introduced to basic computer skills.

Demand outstripped capacity

In the academic year 2004/5, demand outstripped capacity, and a classroom-bulging 120 students enrolled at the STC!. A grant from the MBI Al Jaber Foundation very much helped the expanding activities of 2005/6, which saw 115 students registered, and in addition, at the request of the local authorities, a special class started to help secondary school teachers on the island improve their English teaching skills. Also at the request of the Soqotran authorities, another class was started for hotel workers, immigration and customs officer and airport personnel.

Remarkably, given this level of activity, STC also helped raise funds to assist fishermen to replace equipment destroyed in the Tsunami disaster and to help a Bedouin community to construct a primary school.