Revamping Education in Yemen [Archives:2003/692/Education]

By Mohammed H. Al-Fattah
Lecturer, College of Education,
Mahweet
It is a fact that there are staggering problems facing education in Yemen. Many attempts have been made by the government to tackle these problems. The government has been sincerely trying to revitalize education. But it has been of little consequence in eradicating the evils afflicting education. I think finding a solution for the problems of education needs concerted efforts by researchers, education experts, and intellectuals.
The necessary administrative support can be provided by the Ministry of Education. Workshops, conferences, symposia could be organized to plug the shortcomings at different levels of the edifice of education.
The learning process is complex. It is very important to specify the problems before thinking about the solutions. At the outset, we need to assess the validity and reliability of the present curriculum. Our curriculum should not be built on imported ideologies. Competent educators should be involved in the task of revamping prevailing educational system.
If there is political will for reforming the education in Yemen, the following steps are necessary to be taken before it is too late:
1. Competent educators should be identified and suitably rewarded.
2. The incompetent ones should be requalified and reskilled.
3. The careless and irresponsible teachers should be punished.
4. Corruption should be weeded out at all levels.
5. The objectives of education in Yemen need to be respecified.
6. Separating politics from education is very important to maintain the sanctity and dignity of education.
7. Curriculum should be restructured.
8. Planning the curriculum according to the objectives and needs is a crucial step.
9. Random or casual designs regarding educational administration must be avoided and planned steps should be carried out after proper investigation.
10. Teachers and all the employees in the educational sector should be honored and their services should be appreciated. So serious thinking about reforming education, liberating it from mismanagement is essential to give education a facelift.
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