Statistics show that Egypt’s technological turnover is worth some $50 million annually while Israel’s is $2 billion. It seems sadly apparent that the Arab states collectively — and certainly not individually — will never be able to compete seriously with Israel as long as the current educational systems go unchanged. An expert in education was discussing the problem and raised a number of questions which need to be answered. The first question concerned the large number of university graduates which leave the Kingdom’s universities every year. Despite the large sums spent on these graduates and their educations, neither the country nor the graduates themselves benefit.
It is right that the government provides free education for its citizens but it should be careful to provide an education which is needed in both the local and international marketplace. The subject of the hour is technology — and it will likely remain the subject for a good many more years. Would it not then be wise to steer education in this direction? The Kingdom has seven universities and yet, Saudi physicians supply only 15 percent of the country’s needs. Experts tell us that self-sufficiency requires another 80 years! Most experts who are familiar with our system agree that educational reforms are a must. It must be restructured to include adequate preparation and instruction for all students, particularly in the areas of computer technology and languages. There must be close follow-up of all technological advances and breakthroughs along with an awareness of how to use them and the equipment they require. We can only feel pity for the thousands of students who have graduated in theoretical subjects — as well as those who will graduate this year and in the next few years. Most of them will be unable to find jobs for the simple reason that the market does not require their specialties. The Kingdom needs people who can do things — hands on — rather than more and more theorists. It is time that the country received some real advantages from the enormous sums spent on education. Unemployment is a burden on the individual and also on society; it is a burden which we could easily throw off.
