Some older Saudis believe that many young citizens are not doing enough to learn properly, while others think that they are using modern technology to make learning easier.

“They are different from our generation. During our time, we sat down to read and study hard for many hours. But many of the youth today prefer to surf the Internet, to get answers through Google,” said a Saudi scholar.

He said the Internet is part of modern life, but there should be limits to its use. “Otherwise, the youth will become lazy and seek answers the easy way through the Internet. There are things or lessons that have to be studied by heart,” said the Saudi scholar who received his doctorate from an American university.

If they want to speak English well, he said, “they have to memorize vocabulary and make every word they learn part of their communication.” He said they have to memorize at least two to three words every day if they want to become proficient in English.

“I have noticed that when they don’t know the meaning of a certain word such as ‘serendipity’ they go to the Internet. That is okay but it’s not an effective way to learn. They have to commit it to memory so that it comes in handy when they want to use it,” he said.

A young Saudi studying at a university outside the capital said he learns this way and agrees it is not effective. “This is not the way to learn. A person has to list down words and their meanings and then memorize them, including how to use them correctly in a sentence,” he said.

The Saudi scholar said that many young citizens go to the United States or Britain for exposure to native English speakers. This helps but is a costly way of going about learning.

“That Saudi youth gravitate to the Internet to learn is understandable. Computers have become tools of learning in classrooms. However, there has to be a limit to the use of this modern technology. It should be one means to an end, which is learning, and not the end in itself,” he said.

However, other older Saudis believe that young citizens are using modern tools effectively. “They are much luckier than us. They’re enjoying the benefits of a modern life. The young ones use the Internet to make learning easier,” an executive at a local company said.

He said that there are also many libraries in cities that were not available when he was growing up. However, he said that older Saudis were able to acquire proper education despite these difficulties. “They are not only capable of providing for their families but also able to send their children to college in the Kingdom and abroad,” he said.

He praised the government for setting up the King Abdullah Scholarship Program that allows Saudis to gain skills abroad that they can use at home.