Manama: An education expert has called on Arab states to improve the quality of education across the region, in order to help students compete in an increasingly technology-driven and globalised world.
“There are very few matters of greater urgency for us than equipping rising generations for the challenges of the future,” Mohammad Al Aziz Ibn Ashour, Director General of the Arab League of the Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation (ALECSO), said. “Our region has a fast-growing population and the economic infrastructure is inadequate to absorb millions of young people who enter the labour market. We must give our young people the skills they need to compete in the current era of technological revolution and globalisation. A sustained initiative to raise educational attainment levels will also help the Arab world make major contributions to world development and civilization," he said, ahead of a two-day ministerial meeting on the quality of education in Qatar.
Tunis-based ALECSO has already been implementing an education development strategy throughout the Arab world, which aims to improve the quality of education across the region. It will be part of the discussion at the meeting in Doha on Tuesday and Wednesday, which will be attended by education ministers and delegates from 18 Arab states.
As reported in Qatari daily The Peninsula, experts from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the World Bank, as well as Poland and Mexico, two countries that have made great strides to improve the quality of their education in recent years, will also address the meeting.
“For several years, Qatar has been taking part in international assessment mechanisms," Saad Bin Ibrahim Al Mahmoud, Qatar's education minister, said. "I look forward to the creation of such a framework for the Arab world. I hope this will be one of the outcomes of this meeting, and that we are at the start of a process of historic significance for our region.”
According to Abdullah Bin Ali Al Thani, Qatar Foundation vice president, "There is abundant evidence that educational attainment is the main differentiator in the prospects of both individuals and nations."
"We owe it to our children and grandchildren to ensure that their opportunities and quality of life meet international standards,” he said.
Steen L Jorgensen, Human Development Sector Director, World Bank — Middle East and North Africa Region, said international experience shows that progress on quality of education can be achieved relatively quickly. “The first step is commitment at the highest level. This is clearly shown by the participation in this Colloquium," he said.
