CETME 2006 is set to launch

CETME 2006, the first of its kind exhibition in Bahrain is expected to boost the kingdom's aspiration to become the educational hub of the region and establish it as a platform for educational services, endorsing various institutes from Bahrain, the region and the world. This unique exhibition will target prospective students and also covering the total spectrum of the educational sector from schools to higher education as well as working adults and professionals looking to make a difference.

The Bahrain Convention & Exhibition Bureau (BCEB) in corroborations with Singapore's HQ Link and Bahrain's Ministry of Education believed the interest exceeded expectations, with around 60 percent of the total exhibition area of 2,000 square metres have been occupied four months before the debut of the event. The BCEB attributed this rapid and early increase to the serious impression that resulted from the workshops, hence renting around half of the area in this early time is great evidence to the success of this event.

The organisers expect the total area to be completely rented by the end of the next month, around two months before the event scheduled inauguration. CETME 2006 will also host conferences on the sidelines to discuss and converse regional educational issues, and explore visions of participating institutions in these subjects.

The workshops being organised in conjunction with the exhibition will be a great contribution to this success, and this effort has clearly shown how serious the Kingdom is in developing this imperative sector. It encouraged the universities and institutions alike to allocate further budgets to exhibit themselves in the local and regional markets.

Bahrain's exhibition will not only gather specialised education institutions like universities, open universities, tertiary institutions and polytechnics; but will also attract banks willing to finance educational projects.

BCEB had announced earlier its intention to attract commercial banks and financial institutions to examine the market requirement for educational loans. A number of national banks showed a passionate enthusiasm to the idea, especially those already in this specialisation and want to enhance their businesses. Other financial institutions also announced their intentions to knock this door.

Until recently, educational loans in the region were small, but with the increasing trend for higher studies, this market has been on the rise. Bahrain Development Bank recently announced providing BD 650,789.000 worth of loans during last year.

Bahrain's Economic Development Board held the country's first educational workshop late in November to study making reforms to this important sector, blamed sometimes of being 2005 hurdle against development in the region.