GCC-Staaten: Standards entsprechen noch nicht den Erwartungen

Eine höhere Qualität und vielfältigere Lernerfahrungen sind notwendig, um gut ausgebildete und ehrgeizige junge Menschen in den Staaten des Golf-Kooperationsrates (GCC) hervorzubringen, zeigte eine MEED Umfrage Ende 2010.

Standards still fail to match expectations

A higher-quality, more diverse learning experience is needed to produce well-educated and ambitious GCC students, MEED’s survey reveals.

State education in the GCC has long been criticised for being rigidly academic and for failing to promote creative thinking. To shake off this image, the Gulf states have made improving education standards a major priority for investment in recent years. In their drive to create knowledge-driven economies, governments have realised they need school systems that produce well-educated, ambitious students able to contribute to the growth of their countries.

Yet an exclusive survey of business professionals conducted by MEED earlier this year shows that much remains to be done in reforming the education system in the GCC, particularly at secondary school level.

Core disciplines lacking in GCC

MEED's Education Survey 2010 found that many school leavers still lack core disciplines, including timekeeping and a strong work ethic. When asked to rate the performance of local school leavers in these areas, 58.7 per cent of those polled said school leavers had poor timekeeping skills, with only 18.8 per cent saying they demonstrated good or excellent timekeeping. In terms of work ethic, only 21.3 per cent of respondents rated school leavers as good or excellent, with 47.8 per cent saying they were poor. When it came to ambition, the results were slightly better, but still only 34.4 per cent marked this area good or excellent, with 30.1 per cent rating school leavers' ambition as poor.

"This is not surprising," says Natasha Ridge, the acting head of research at public policy research centre, the Dubai School of Government. "There are low expectations of students, particularly males in this regard. Other surveys have demonstrated that local female students tend to have a stronger work ethic. It comes back to teaching and low expectations in general. The basic things that employers are expecting, such as meeting deadlines, students have never been asked to do."

On the positive side, the survey found that school leavers know how to present themselves well, with 58.1 per cent of those surveyed saying school leavers have a good or excellent appearance.

The region's education system is often described as overly academic, with a heavy emphasis on religious studies and Arabic. The survey reflects this in its findings. Of those polled, 65.7 per cent stated school leavers were strongest in Arabic literacy and numeracy. By the same token, knowledge of foreign languages and problem-solving were found to be inadequate.

"This is what the reform programmes are trying to change," says Chuck Thorpe, dean of Carnegie Mellon University, Qatar. "The old-style system where pupils memorise information does not teach time-management, work ethic or creativity. By introducing problem-solving and teamwork, students are undertaking tasks that are more similar to activities in the real world."

GCC education shortcomings

The survey asked what changes would do most to improve education at both primary and secondary level. Nearly 30 per cent of respondents said a greater emphasis on problem-solving and creative thinking were key, followed by investing more in local teaching staff and an increased focus on foreign languages. However, less than 1 per cent thought greater emphasis on creative arts such as music, drama and art was required.

Other suggested measures for improving secondary school education included an increased emphasis on verbal communication skills, stricter enforcement of school attendance and greater investment in educational facilities.

Some governments in the region are already focused on investing in these areas. "Oman is a good example. It has introduced fine arts into the curriculum as well as focusing on physical education and health. In most states, creative subjects are non-existent after year 10, but in Oman it runs through to year 12," says Ridge. The result of introducing more creative subjects, such as art and music, encourages children to be more innovative, says Ridge. This, in turn, creates the entrepreneurs of the future.

But this poses a difficult challenge for some local education authorities who want to improve the quality of education without departing too much from the country's heritage and Islamic faith. Parents are watching closely. "It is a very delicate balance. We want students to be fluent in English, but retain their Arabic roots," says Thorpe.

Educational heritage in the GCC

When it came to university leavers, the survey found that graduate employees from places such as Jordan and Lebanon are considered to be the strongest. More than 60 per cent of respondents said graduates from Lebanon were good or excellent, this compares with 52.9 per cent having the same opinion of graduates from Jordan. In the GCC, graduates from Bahrain were considered the best, with 46.3 per cent rating them as good or excellent. The UAE followed with 41.1 per cent. Graduates from Saudi Arabia were ranked weakest, with only 25.9 per cent considered them to be of high calibre and 41.1 per cent describing them as poor.

It is not surprising that Lebanon and Jordan are thought to produce graduates of the highest quality in the region, as those countries have a much longer heritage of education than the Gulf states. The American University of Beirut, for example, is more than 140 years old.

The GCC countries are hoping to build a reputation for themselves in the field of higher education. Of the six member states, Saudi Arabia is investing the most in building new universities. According to regional projects tracker MEED Projects more than $19bn is being invested in new facilities in the kingdom, while some $32bn is being invested throughout the region as a whole.

The biggest scheme under way is the $11.5bn Princess Noura bint Abdulrahman University for Women in Riyadh. The project will transform the existing Riyadh University for Girls, which opened in 1970, into a world-class institution.
Experts say that building better infrastructure is a good step towards raising standards, although improving curriculums and teaching staff are also essential.

"China built new capacity first and then took talented people through the system and brought them back in to teach. It takes time," says Edwin Eisendrath, managing director for the international arm of US higher education consultancy specialist Huron Consulting Group. "It is very hard to expand so rapidly and improve quality at the same time."

An increasing number of universities in the GCC are focusing on research and development, giving much potential for their students to follow the Chinese route. "Institutions such as King Abdullah University for Science and Technology are producing researchers and scholars," says Eisendrath.

Vocational training in the GCC

Respondents to the survey also rated Lebanon and Jordan highest in terms of quality of vocational training offered in the region. They were followed by Bahrain, with Kuwait said to offer the least opportunity for vocational training. "There is no incentive for students to undertake this type of training, it is regarded as low in status and expected that expatriates will do this [kind of] work," says Ridge.

When ranking the quality of state education overall in the region, the highest performers were Dubai, Lebanon, Abu Dhabi and Jordan. Of all those surveyed, 30 per cent ranked the quality of public education in these states as good or excellent. But rather worryingly 60.9 per cent of respondents said the region has worse education standards than anywhere else in the world and 61.7 per cent would choose to send their children to a local private school with an international syllabus. Just 6.7 per cent said state education in the Gulf is better than that provided elsewhere in the world.

From primary level through to university, the message is that for the region’s students to contribute successfully to the private sector, education needs to become more diverse and standards need to be raised. A more demanding educational experience will better prepare young people for the workplace, which is becoming more competitive.

Furthermore, as governments introduce greater efficiencies into the public sector, the children of today will not be able to rely on the previously assumed pathway into well-paid state employment tomorrow.