Bildung war eines der wichtigsten Themen auf dem Jeddah Economic Forum (ECF). Die Beteiligten diskutierten Ideen zur Umsetzung von Public-Privat-Partnership im Bildungsbereich.
Privatizing KSA educational sector key topic at JEF 2016
Education was one of the main topics discussed at the Jeddah Economic Forum
where the panelists suggested ideas on implementing PPP in the Kingdom’s
educational sector.
The panel discussion moderated by Samer Kurdi, vice
chairman of Sunbulah Group included Khalid Sabti, member of the Shoura Council,
Abdul Rahman bin Omar, adviser to the minister of education for development at
the Ministry of Education, Mounira Jamjoom, co-founder and CEO of Emkan
Education, Karim Daoud, managing director of Pearson Middle East and Peje
Emilsson, founder and Chairman of Kunskapsskolan Education Sweden.
Jamjoom said that there is an urgent need for disruptive action in the
Kingdom’s education system.
"The Saudi education system is not broken,
it is obsolete. We cannot waste our energy trying to fix it instead we need to
think out of the box. We need transformational education if we are to educate
our growing middle class and reduce our bloated public sector."
Jamjoom
explained that an urgent disruptive education needs to come into immediate
effect since there is a need for a "creative, adaptive, personalized, effective
and addictive education" in the Kingdom.
"The middle class is growing
and with it comes the aspiration for high quality education and willingness to
invest in education," she said.
"Increasing demand for high quality
education has led to overburdened public sector education systems. Disruption
has to be done by the private sector, very close to where learning and
development takes place," she said.
"Lots of startups in the educational
sector are dying three years after inception due to lack of support," Jamjoom
highlighted.
"We need companies that are changing — what it means to go
to school and engage SMEs and disruptive technology. SMEs can support the
education sector by working on auxiliary education services."
"Speaking
of PPPs, it is essential that we engage the SMEs in the Education Ministry,"
said Jamjoom.
"The government needs to support effective collaboration
with SMEs. First, they have to start by trusting the power of small businesses,
and then design transparent, consistent and supportive regulations ideally
developed in dialogue with SMEs."
She added that it is important to
drive access to education, providing incentives.
"The government can
also help by supporting companies in servicing schools, identifying problems and
targeting resources. They also need to identify creative financial capital in
education – which is grant funding, and donations, low interest financing,
private equity, VC funding, social impact bonds and crowd funding."
Jamjoom shed light on the education sector of India, which is a beneficiary of
start-ups.
"In an education system like that of India, there is
increasing access, interactive education and personalized learning and parent
education."
The panel put emphasis on developing technological skills
and using data analytics as a tool to improve outcomes, which is not simply a
job for the government, but there is a role for innovative SMEs at every level
of education.
Sabti stressed on the importance of privatizing
complimentary services and introducing PPP projects in the educational
sector.
He also spoke about the significance of balancing the national
transformation in the education system.
Meanwhile, Daoud said that PPPs
in the education sector is very complex, compared to other sectors, unless a
careful effort is made.
"With the growing changes in technology, it is
important that schools, universities and colleges in the Kingdom embrace digital
education resources at a rapid pace as educators come to understand the benefits
digital resources can bring in the classroom," said Daoud.
He explained
that there is a much needed boost to technical and vocational education and
training, as organizations increasingly demand employees with vocational skills
and qualifications, but typically find candidates with these qualities hard to
recruit.
Emilsson gave a briefing on the Swedish education system and
urged the use of technology in the education sector.
"Our digital
learning portals are a key part of our program," he said.
"This
experience has made us even more convinced that the great educational challenge
the entire world is facing, calls for new players, partnerships and
technologies. This is specially the case in countries and regions which, as
Saudi Arabia, are characterized by a need for expansion and improved quality of
the educational system."
Abdul Rahman from the Education ministry
mentioned that neighboring countries in the GCC are investing the Kingdom's
education sector and spoke about the ministry’s efforts to develop the Saudi
education system with the support of the private sector.