Teachers finding it hard to cope with new curriculum

After three years of education services as a teacher at a government primary school, Badria Al-Ghamdi made a request for early retirement.
She sought the retirement because of the upgraded curricula and its requirements that have come to be a burden, specifically for older teachers. Al-Ghamdi said there was a lack of basic enrichment methods, such as laboratories, except in some public schools.
Al-Ghamdi’s retirement illustrates difficulties many older teachers have been facing in transition from traditional methods of classroom instruction to a computer-based program.
Al-Ghamdi’s reluctance to continue as a teacher also points to the type of curriculum offered in primary and secondary schools that may not pay enough attention to Islamic teachings.
A colleague of Al-Ghamdi, who preferred anonymity, and who has been a teacher in a primary schools for seven years, agreed.
She said that it was expected of the Ministry of Education to provide teachers and students with opportunities to participate in introductory courses before the imposing upgraded curriculum, and to make sure all teachers can keep up with this upgraded curriculum.
This would have been preferable since many older teachers are not proficient computers use.
Mohammed Al-Daini, spokesman for the Ministry of Education, could not be reached for comment.
Biology teacher Abdullah Zayla’I said, “Students and teachers have the right to be worried for not having enough time to prepare for such new education material.”
He said that this is a natural reaction to any new step introduced.
He stressed the importance of workshops for students and teachers to make sure of their understanding of the modern curricula and the teaching methods.
Teachers are also critical about some science subjects, such as mathematics and science, and about the absence of mentioning the role of Muslim scholars, despite their presence in the curricula of some European countries
“These are some faults that can be remedied if all those concerned agree through communicating with Curriculum Development Division of the Ministry of Education,” Zayla’I said. He pointed out that parents are also partners in the educational process and should encourage students to read more about the cultural they inherited, especially that the curriculum is not the only sources of information.
Abdullah Asiri, a history teacher at a secondary school, criticized the upgraded curriculum because of education officials failed to consolidate some valuable concepts in society toward youth by including them in modern subjects in small doses, such as the concept of volunteerism and its impact.
He said teaching the scientific miracles in the Qur’an and Sunnah would also play a major role in formulating the personality of the students and their role in society.
During a recent educational event, a group of high school students criticized the upgraded syllabus, emphasizing the need to add more to enrich those curricula to prepare them for the university life, as well as supporting the modules by providing them with the laboratories they need.
Additionally, they pointed out the importance of the teacher in preparation and training to deliver information in right manner, and in providing the correct scientific environment by providing everything they need such as computer labs, as well as chemistry biology labs.