Saudi Gazette

MANY young Saudis long for professional independence and seek opportunities to turn their passion into a sustainable career that is mutually beneficial to them and their clientele. These Saudis do not merely look for job security, but they also like new and challenging opportunities.

The role of a home tutor is not a cherished one in Saudi society, but for Mohammed Al-Hashem who studied math both in the United Kingdom and the United States it is a passion.

Home tutoring, a popular concept in many parts of the world, is slowly making inroads in the Kingdom with the rising aspirations of the youngsters.

Hashem, 26, is highly passionate about teaching math. After his studies in the US and UK, he chose teaching for a career. The Saudi Education Ministry has lucrative openings for math teachers yet young Hashem wanted professional independence and preferred the work of a home tutor.

“When I revealed my decision to my relatives and friends, many of them were astonished,” Hashem told Saudi Gazette.

He said some of his relatives were very much disappointed by his choice but support was forthcoming from his parents and immediate family members, who were very encouraging.

Hashem said many parents and students too were surprised to see a young Saudi offering to teach children math at their homes.

"For my own reasons, I don’t like the classroom environment with a large number of students. It is difficult to give individual attention to each student as this could potentially lead to a lag for the entire class," he said.

“I like to teach high school and university students. After encountering several difficulties initially, I have made my way into some Saudi as well as international schools,” Hashem said.

Hashem prefers to teach students from A level and O level. “I have a student who is 34 years old; he is much older than me,” Hashem said.

Hashem's students comprise Saudis and non-Saudis of both sexes.

Commenting on the math syllabus taught in Saudi Arabia, Hashem said the syllabus was "not bad but the problem lies in the classroom techniques". He also said since there was no third party role in holding examinations, the marking system lacked transparency.

Math and science teachers are much sought after and can sometimes be difficult to find in most parts of the world, including the Kingdom.

Saudi Arabia is currently according top priority to develop its students' learning skills in math and other science subjects to achieve the goals of its Vision 2030.

The Ministry of Education as part of the National Transformation Program 2020 is implementing a plan to revamp key syllabus areas under the Tamkeen project.

The Kingdom is also working with Pearson, the world giant in higher education consultancy services, to redesign the strategic planning to implement the best learning practices for Saudi students.

Tatweer Company for Educational Services, a state-owned venture, is working to train math teachers.

This year five students from Saudi Arabia won medals for excellence at the International Mathematics Olympiad.