The Government Summit being held in Dubai, which attracted politicians and figures of authority from across the world, addressed the issue of education with some speakers, attributing crises to problems in the education system. Some speakers added that reforming the education system is the key to development in the Arab world.
A poor education system is worse than illiteracy because it deludes one into believing he is capable when he is not. Inevitably, one then becomes a source of social diseases, including violence, extremism and ill practices and ends up spreading ignorance within his family, neighborhood and city. Most of what we feed students today is bad education and the outcome is apparent before our very eyes as millions of people stand out as examples of a failed education system.
The difference between a good and a poor education system may not be huge and the differences may lie in mere governmental decisions. However, effort and cost are the same and the results are catastrophic at all levels.
Since education in our countries is not up to scratch, it’s not strange that we have the highest rate of injuries resulting from car accidents, a high rate of diabetes, prolific squandering of money, the highest rate of servants being employed in households, the highest abuses of human rights, including servants’ rights, the most sorcery myths, the most subsidies of rice, flour, camel and fuel, desires to escape to foreign countries, rising immigrant populations, disguised unemployment, weak militaries, low incomes and the list goes on and on.
I don’t think anyone is unaware of the civilizational problem in the Arab region. Failing education is “the mother of all problems” and despite that, few governments are trying to change the situation. I previously wrote an article about my joy and disappointment when education strategists in Saudi Arabia distributed SR80 million — which late King Abdullah, God’s mercy be upon him, had ordered for education — on real estate and bonuses.
I hope the newly-assigned minister of education, and old friend, Dr. Azzam Al-Dakhil considers what I’ve just mentioned about last year’s announcement regarding developing the education system. Ideas, efforts and funds must be spent on developing education — for example spending funds on e-education and not on buildings would be welcomed. I hope that Gulf countries — which have money in abundance — allocate whatever they can afford to establish an e-learning program that does not only assist their students but also helps all 200 million Arab youths as they all share the same cultural, educational and economic crises and aspire for a better future. This programmed education can be a civilized plan that will alter the region and will help us to escape this long dark tunnel and it can also bring curricula closer together.
Such a project compensates for the shortage, as there are few factories, laboratories, libraries, competent teachers and equipped schools. E-learning remains one of the qualitative solutions that can compensate for this shortage. It’s thus up to education strategists and leaders to look into how to focus on qualitative education and benefit from the experiences of other countries. Countries that lead in teaching sciences and mathematics are not western. In fact, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea and Japan are ahead of others in such education fields. Implementing the solution and achieving change may indeed require 50 years but politicians must identify the root of the crises and work collectively to reform education in order to reform society and progress towards a better future.
