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Skriven 2005-05-22 23:33:08 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0505225) for Sun, 2005 May 22
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Remarks by the First Lady to Press Pool
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For Immediate Release
Office of the First Lady
May 22, 2005

Remarks by the First Lady to Press Pool



May 22, 2005

REMARKS BY THE FIRST LADY TO PRESS POOL Swaifiyeh Secondary School for
Girls Amman, Jordan

9:55 A.M. (Local)

MRS. BUSH: I just wanted to tell you all what a great visit we've had this
morning to the school. We've seen a lot of collaboration between American
computer companies, the government of Jordan, the Ministry of Education,
French computer companies, as well. And what we've seen are links,
opportunities for links between older students and classes all over the
world, including, of course, classes in the United States. We've seen
younger children in the first classroom, just ! really learning the
computer, doing simple lessons, the days of the week, but doing those by
being able to move the words of the days of the week up into the spot on
the computer.

So they're just starting to be able to use the computer, and, at the same
time, learn the basic things that you learn in your first years of school.
And then the other students -- who, by the way, speak English, most of
them, very, very good English, I might add -- are studying on the internet.
There are new chat rooms where they can talk about the lessons that they're
studying that other countries -- children in other countries are also
studying.

So it was a very, very encouraging morning. I saw the "My Arabic Library,"
which is a project of the United States to translate very well-known
children's literature into Arabic for Arabic students to read. And by the
way, each country who has an Arabic library also went through the titles
and chose the titles that they thought were most appropriate for their
students. So I saw the first part of that library, including a book on
sharks. All children are interested in sharks. I know this from being a
children's librarian.

I also especially want to thank His Majesty King Abdullah and Her Majesty
Queen Rania for hosting me and for your friendship with the United States.
I've had a really wonderful visit to Jordan, and I want to thank them very
much for being such gracious hosts.

Q Mrs. Bush, do you see this as a model for other schools --

MRS. BUSH: It's a model for schools all over the world, really, and, in
fact, I think even for schools in the United States. Many schools in the
United States, as you know, have computers, but not all. And one of the
things I saw was distance learning, where the teacher was in the data
center and the students were here. And I think that's very important,
especially in rural America. I know in small towns in Texas, it's difficult
to get a physics teacher or a teacher in specialized subjects, and distance
learning is very important there, and, in fact, use professors from Texas
universities to teach high school classes.

So I think this is a really good example for the world, to see the way
students are linked to each other. I especially like the idea of American
students being able to develop friendships with students all over the
world. I think it's very important for our world, for youth everywhere, to
have the opportunity to get to know each other, to find out how many things
we have in common, how many things link us, no matter what our religion or
our race or our culture is; in so many ways we're alike because we're human
beings.

Thank you very much.

END 9:59 A.M. (Local)
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