Hala Al-Qahtani
THE King Abdullah Public Education Development Project was launched about nine years ago, in Muharram 1428H. The SR9 billion-project, which was designed to be completed in six years, was aimed at setting up a knowledge-based society by developing the Kingdom’s academic curriculum matching with modern scientific and technological progress.
The project envisioned that education should meet the intellectual, educational, professional, mental, physical and life requirements of students. It also wanted to develop the capabilities and skills of teachers to improve their performance through the electronic academy. Improving the educational atmosphere by introducing electronic and digital classrooms was another goal.
The project was designed to develop the personal capacity, skills and innovation capabilities of students, promote their personal hobbies and their mental desires and deepen their national and social bonds through nonacademic activities.
Since the beginning we have been following the project’s achievements on the ground. We don’t deny that it has brought about good results in some aspects. At the same time, we are still awaiting fundamental changes in curriculum to arrive at a successful conclusion.
So far the result has been not satisfactory. A test conducted by an independent academic body — The Public Education Evaluation Commission — showed that 40 percent of Class III and Class VI students of primary schools scored below average in science and mathematics.
If we check the reason, we can find that for decades we have been giving only one period each for mathematics and science and four to six periods for religious subjects in primary schools. In this national transformation year it is high time we accelerate our educational progress by totally changing the direction and restructuring the sector.
When 63 percent of students say they don’t know what their parents and relatives expect from them, 51 percent of students admit that parents do not explain to them the significance of school education while 33 percent of them disclose that their parents do not have enough time to talk to them, then how do you expect to spark change. Moreover, a considerable percentage of students do not get adequate time to sleep.
Here I would like to underline that education authorities should remind parents of their responsibility in improving the educational standard of their children. This can be done through the Child Protection Law by warning irresponsible parents about the negative consequences. Many parents believe that they do not have any role or responsibility in their children’s educational progress.
The outstanding results showed by girl students in science and math tests must encourage authorities to open specialized departments for girls in all faculties of our universities without exemption. Such facilities should not be limited to boys as knowledge has no ceiling or barrier.
Although the performance of private school students is 15 percent higher than that of public schools, it has been noticed that their overall performance is deteriorating because they focus mainly on how to increase fees to meet salaries of teachers.
About 75 percent of teachers still apply traditional teaching tools and I don’t know what is the reason for the delay in application of modern electronic tools.
All partners of education including teachers and parents have seen the results declared by the Public Education Evaluation Commission. As parents we have to tell authorities what we seek from education. First of all, we should have an interactive curriculum that does not focus on memorization or exam results but teach children the basics that would help them overcome the challenges of life.
Children should be taught life requirements from the kindergarten level because they will remember what they learn at this stage forever. Education authorities should focus on effective life skills enabling children to learn specific things within a timeframe.
We also need a flexible curriculum that would teach children communication skills. We need the new generation to gain the necessary skills to communicate with others with confidence and behave and deal with elders with respect, following etiquette.
Our children should also be taught to live as responsible individuals and as an active member of society making positive contributions, rationalizing consumption and learning to save money. Our students should know how to face and solve problems.
We need a curriculum that develops skills not for exams but for improving an individual’s overall performance. It will prepare children to cope with natural life and face its challenges with courage.
