Good education quality key to comprehensive development [Archives:2008/1146/Opinion]

Sadeq Ghassan
The United Nations claimed various countries to work harder toward achieving the goal “Education For All” by the advent of 2015 as part of a set of multiple development-related goals, which the international organization adopted and considered as new Millennium goals. To ensure hard efforts for reaching such goals, UNESCO released many reports, the most recent of which concentrated on improving education quality, helping people worldwide have broad access to schools and eradicating illiteracy among the male and female population by the advent of 2015.

The report analyzed the amount of progress that has so far been made toward achieving the six education-related goals in order to help all citizens of the underdeveloped and developed countries have good access to education. Although the Arab world appeared to have made successful progress in this area, the report revealed that many Arab countries still show no concern about education-related issues and what has been so far achieved is still below the level of sought ambitions.

UNESCO placed the Arab countries in the bottom of the list along with the African countries located to the south of the Large Desert and the other poorest countries in the sense that such countries are not concerned about improving education quality for preschool children (in kindergartens). According to the report, only 20 percent of children in the Arab countries are enrolled in kindergartens, thus indicating that the majority of children in the Arab world have no access to pre-school playgroups.

On the contrary, many countries worldwide such as Malaysia and Indonesia, which once were being labeled among the underdeveloped states, achieved commendable progress and sustainable development in different areas within a short distance of time. These countries have strong faith that good education quality, as of the early grades, is key to comprehensive development in all the economic, political and cultural areas. “Acquisition of knowledge at a younger age is like engraving in stones” is a famous proverb of an Arab origin, but has been utilized by the Asian tigers and the likes.

Authorities and citizens in the Arab countries appeared to be indifferent toward education in kindergartens, or primary and secondary schools. The Arab states made no progress in increasing school enrollment rates, as the rate of school age enrollment grew by 11.3 percent only between 1999 and 2005 despite the fact that the Arab countries are known for their young population and high birth rates. As the average birth rate in the Arab world is estimated to grow by 5 percent per year, during the 6 year-span, the number of school age children jumped by 20 percent while school enrollment increased only by 11.6 percent. This means that 20 percent of school age children have no access to education.

The Arab world did made progress in illiteracy eradication over the past few years, but the situation remains almost the same because of the rapid population growth, observed during the same time period. Consequently, adult literacy remained below the international average, as only 75 percent of Arab population can read and write. In addition, the phenomenon of school dropouts is still high in the Arab world, mainly among girls, as 40 percent of them don't attend schools.

The teacher-student ratio, which is estimated at 1:40 is another challenge facing education in the Arab countries. In light of such scores, a teacher seems to be in charge of teaching 40 pupils, thus making it impossible for educators to monitor and assess students' progress at different rates, taking into account the individual differences among students, in order to obtain the required feedback.

The need for joint efforts:

The Ministry of Education and UNICEF have stepped up efforts to support 'Education for All' by giving priority to basic education and gender equity programs, focusing on the country's most vulnerable groups. UNICEF supports Yemen's Basic Education Development strategy and emphasizes accelerating girls' education through a novel approach in six Governorates: Sana'a, Hodeida, Abyan, Lahej Dahle.

There, the Ministry of Education and UNICEF are conducting a series of district workshops to help communities and community leaders find ways to overcome barriers and challenges to girls' education. The workshops are designed to stimulate active roles of people with influence, teachers, religious leaders and parents to help them understand the issues that impact girls' education and generate an increase in girls' enrolment and retention in schools.Yemen is involved in the UN Girls' Education Initiative (a lynchpin of efforts to achieve education for all), and urgent efforts to promote girls' education are needed. UNICEF is mobilizing the media and has supported field visits by journalists to create awareness on gender parity and barriers to education.

In a practical demonstration of its commitment to the issue regionally, UNICEF is supporting the meeting of the Second Arab Media Forum in Dubai from 2-4 May on the Rights of the Child, where girls' education will be in sharp focus. Leading media representatives from the Middle East and North Africa will discuss the situation of girls' education in the Arab World in terms of enrolment, drop-out rates and social factors that influence girls' education. A team of Yemeni journalists will participate in the Forum and share stories from the field.

Source: Al-Thawranews.net
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