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Oman: Conference to reform education in Arab world

Agency

Sunday, 07 March 2010 17:54

Oman (Muscat) Proceedings of the 7th conference for the Arab Education Ministers under the theme ‘post basic education, secondary', development and diversifying its paths', organized by the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation (ALECSO) and hosted by Oman represented by the Education Ministry kicked-off at Al Bustan Palace Hotel today.

The two-day conference aims at highlighting the status of post basic education, secondary, at the Arab world, propose mechanisms for its development and review the international experiences in post basic education reform and challenges facing it.

The conference aims at presenting the structures of post basic education, the visions for its development and diversifying its paths in a bid to meet the Arab communities' needs. It also aims at laying a list of the quality criteria in this stage of education while observing its different paths, promoting the reality of the Arab teacher and developing him both social and professionally.

While addressing the gathering, Yahya bin Saud al Sulaimi, Education Minister and chairman of the conference, called upon participants to develop this critical stage of education, which is the bridge between the higher academic education, the vocational education on one hand and work market on the other hand.

He said also that this development should be compatible with the references made, especially the recent international statistics and studies point out that the enrollment rate at this stage in the Arab region is still low compared to the other regions in the world, not more than half of the targeted age category as indicated at the Development of Plan for Education in the Arab world. This comes at the time all countries, as well as, certain organizations call for considering the different levels of school education, basic education for all, especially it plays a role in helping students acquire the skills required for after school life.

He added that there are recurrent calls to reconsider this education stage in terms of its structure and ensuring that the content is compatible with the status of the Arab societies. He pointed out that the traditional segregation between what is termed as general secondary education, technical secondary education and vocational & technical education is not appropriate at a world where the scientific majors overlap and requiring more sophisticated skills and efficiencies than before. He also called for finding alternatives that are more linked to reality and ensure equality among students according to their capacities, interests and the actual needs of the Arab societies.

The Education Ministry affirmed that the recommendations of the Education Development Plan in the Arab World, which has been approved, are the same at Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2010.

As for the education development in the Sultanate, the Education Minister said ‘In the Sultanate, while we call for this, we have initiated a number of activities and events, in collaboration with regional and international organizations, in a bid to develop this important stage of education. The most important of these events are the international conferences organized by the Sultanate in collaboration with the UNESCO in 2002, the national and local seminars inside the Sultanate and the executive measures to introduce a developed system for the post basic education in the school year 2007/2008 in place of the system which was in use before this. Our efforts are still going on in this connection in a bid to make this education stage meet the needs of the status quo and the future development aspirations of the Omani society.

On his part, Dr. Mohammed al Aziz bin Ashur, Director General of the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) said that the organization of this conference coincides with initiating the implementation of the Education Development Plan in the Arab world, which was approved by the Arab leaders in the Arab Summit in Damascus in 2008.

On her part, Ambassador Faiqah Said al Saleh, Advisor to the Arab League Secretary General, who delivered the speech of the Arab League, said that the conference has great importance as it comes at a time the Arab League Secretariat General and the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO), endeavors to implement the Arab Summit resolutions related to development of education in the Arab world, a permanent and top priority item on the agenda of the Arab leaders.

‘This reflects the responsibility of everyone to implement the resolutions and trends of the Arab leaders which aim at promoting education process and its quality in the Arab region.

Prince Faisal bin Abdullah al Saud, Saudi Education Minister and Chairman of the Sixth Arab Conference delivered a speech where he pointed out that the

‘Sixth conference which was hosted by Riyadh under the theme ‘education of talented, the best competition option', in cooperation with ALESCO, recommended formulating an Arab strategy for talent and creativity.

He added that the strategy will help our countries in preparing the national plans for the Arab education system.

After that the Arab Education Ministers started their sessions. The first session covered the report of ALESCO Director General on the follow up of the recommendations of the sixth conference and the discussions of the Experts Committee of the 7th conference currently held in Muscat. (ONA)

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