Education and our regrettable reality [Archives:2004/702/Opinion]

Ismail Al-Ghabiri
Sad realities hurt, yet some times there is no way of escaping them especially if it is concerned with a vital part of our life, which is education. The issue is that the system of education and all its related aspects socially, economically, culturally and politically affect the structure and capabilities of the society a great deal, in spite of the fact that the country enjoys great resources and man power.
The issue is of joining the development train and providing the essential requirements for the people such as education and health. However, any kind of development cannot be achieved until and unless the education system is effective. Because education is the foundation of progress and the sad present that we are living in cannot be overcome until people are educated and made aware.
The question that poses itself is why the education system failed in most of the Arab countries, all together forming more than 1/5 of humanity? And the answer seems to be very obvious because it is about the objective scientific methodology, which the Islamic and Arab states used to follow when the ages of glory and which are neglected and ignored today.
Today, whatever Islamic education is thought about it becomes confided to the pure Islamic studies such as prayer and Quranic studies while in the past it was about every discipline that there is. In fact even these kinds of disciplines, which are related to prayer and religious behavior, have been modified and altered in a way that is quite remote from the way Islam started in the beginning.
Restructuring the academic and educational program is the solution to re-establishing the Islamic state in a way that would provide the essential requirements for overcoming the downfall and reaching better heights materially and psychologically.
Should the people in concern and the authorities realize this they would not hesitate before actually working on this and correcting the wrong concepts and helping improving the situation according to glorious Islamic beliefs and principles?
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[archive-e:702-v:13-y:2004-d:2004-01-12-p:opinion]