Education System in Saudi Arabia - Coursework Example

Introduction (The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) Established in 1902 by King Abdula-Aziz Bin Saud, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is currently among the most developed countries in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia is a large country that occupies a huge percentage of the Arabian Peninsula with a land area of 2,250,000 million sq. km, or 868,730 sq. miles (Saudi Arabia Information Resource, 2010). According to information from the Saudi Arabia Information Resource (2010), the population of the country in 2009 was estimated at 25.8 million, and it is also among the countries with the fastest growth rates in the world (Al-Balawi, 2007). The citizens are predominantly Muslims, and the official religion is Islam, while the official language is Arabic. Overview of the Education System in Saudi Arabia History of the Education System The education system of Saudi Arabia is unique among education systems from across the world (Al-Ahaydib, 1986). The government of Saudi Arabia embraces different scenarios when it comes to formulating and implementing directives that meet religious, social, and cultural requirements. The unique nature of the education system in Saudi Arabia is a result of its history and the government’s drive to meet its citizens’ needs. The education system in Saudi Arabia has transformed immensely since its inception in 1925. Initially, education was most commonly utilised in mosques and later in Qur’anic Schools, in which students were taught to write and read Arabic (Al-Liheibi, 2008). However, the education system as it stands today can be attributed to the Directorate of Education, which established a formal system in 1925 (Wiseman, 2010). The Directorate of Education was responsible for opening new schools and offices across the country; although the first public schools were established in 1930, only male students were formally enrolled (Wiseman, 2010). With time, female students were enrolled into schools but segregation between boys and girls was existed. Role of Government in the Modern Education System Saudi Arabia’s government understands the importance of education, as reflected in the government’s yearly budget. For example, in 2007, the amount allocated for learning was 25.45% of the total budget, indicating that a quarter of the government’s budget was used to fulfil the requirements of education (Ramady, 2010). Moreover, it is the only governmental organisation that has not suffered huge financial cuts. Since 2000, the budget for education has increased, indicating the importance of education to the country’s development. The Saudi Arabian government also encourages education through providing motivational factors that encourage students to pursue further education or even providing scholarships for students to study internationally (Farsy, 1986). In addition, the government also supplies all public schools and colleges with materials that are required for providing environments conducive to learning. For instance, the government supplies schools and colleges with text-related equipment and technological equipment (Al-Augab, 2007). To ensure educational resources are used effectively, the government has structured management of resources through administration of education resulting into two agencies. Administration of Education in Saudi Arabia The education system in Saudi Arabia is centrally administered and managed by two agencies, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education (Al-Balawi, 2007). Even though the agencies are separate with different operational roles, they complement each other to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of the Saudi Arabian education system. Ministry of Education. This agency was founded in 1954, taking over from the Directorate of Education, which was established in 1925 (Al-Ahaydib, 1986). The primary role of the agency is to oversee girls’ and boys’ schooling. Other responsibilities associated with the Ministry of Education include teacher training, adult education, junior colleges, and special needs. According to information obtained from the Ministry of Education, there are forty-two educational districts, each of which is managed by a District Office (Al-Otaibi, 2004). These District Offices are responsible for creating and managing links between the Ministry of Education and local schools. Apart from management, the Ministry of Education is responsible for development and management of institutional requirements such as building new schools and constructing supportive infrastructures. Other responsibilities charged to the Ministry of Education include providing important materials, equipping schools, and supplying textbooks to these schools (Al-Augab, 2007). In addition to the above duties, the Ministry of Education oversees the curriculum department, which formulates and implements the curriculum, creating a unified education system throughout all the districts of Saudi Arabia (Al-Ahaydib, 1986). In addition, the curriculum department is responsible for the preparation of textbooks based on different educational requirements such as grade and level (Al-Shareef, 1995). In each of the different schools, whether private or government-run, each subject has a specific textbook that must be utilised. Ministry of Higher Education. The Ministry of Higher Education supervises and manages higher education learning in Saudi Arabia (All-Balawi, 2007). The agency was established in 1975 as a separate entity from the Ministry of Education, which initially managed tertiary schools and universities. The Ministry of Higher Education also supervises educational offices abroad, international academic relations, and scholarships (Al-Augab, 2007). Saudi Arabia has twenty-one fully operational universities in which courses are offered based on degree difficulty and its requirements. For example, a normal social and arts degree takes four years, while other courses such as medicine and engineering take more than five years. Modern Education in Saudi Arabia The government of Saudi Arabia offers her citizens free education from kindergarten to tertiary colleges (Al-Ahaydib, 1986). The education system in Saudi Arabia comprises pre-school, primary school (six years), intermediate school (three years), and secondary school (three years). The ability of students to move from one stage of schooling to the next is determined by examinations. For example, students moving from the first intermediate grade to the second intermediate grade should have passed examinations offered within that period. Saudi Arabia’s education system is completely different from Western education systems. For example, classes in Saudi Arabia are segmented based on the gender of the learner and the teacher (Al-Ahaydib, 1986). This means that there are no co-educational institutions, marking Saudi Arabia as a country that champions a single-sex school system. The segregation of the students may be attributed to the beliefs of Islam, although single-sex schooling is also associated with cultural, social, and traditions. Single sex education is not only in existence in Saudi Arabia but also other countries within Middle East. The single sex education system is premised on the principles communicated by Islam religion and also the Qur’an. Therefore, high chances exist in which countries prophesising Islam. Similarly, the academic year is the same across the country; it is divided into two terms, each of which lasts eighteen weeks. The first sixteen weeks are for learning and teaching, while the last two weeks are utilised for exam-related tasks. Teachers devise the examinations, which should include both information taught in class and information from the subject textbooks. Each class includes two examinations, namely an assessment and a final examination. The assessment accounts for 40% of the total mark, while the final examination accounts for 60%. Teaching and Learning of English in Saudi Arabia The Saudi Arabian government acknowledges the importance of understanding more than one language to facilitate some components of learning and development (Al-Otaibi, 2004). The curriculum department of the Ministry of Education has provided directions and assistance to ensure that English is taught effectively without affecting the championing of Saudi Arabian culture. This section analyses the teaching and learning of English in Saudi Arabia. According to Al-Ahaydib (1986), English as an educational subject was introduced in the late 1950s. Al-Otaibi (2004) has noted that English was introduced in the 1930s after the discovery of oil and only used within the setting of business, but the government waited until the 1950s to introduce it as a syllabus. Initially, the English language was taught only in secondary and intermediate schools. However, because of the importance of English, the education system has evolved, and English is now taught in lower levels of schooling. The government of Saudi Arabia was against learning English at an early age because of the belief that learning English may affect a student’s learning of Arabic. The course commonly referred to as “English for Saudi Arabia” is prescribed by the curriculum department of the Ministry of Education. Teachers of this course commonly utilise three materials: a textbook and a workbook for the students, along with a teaching manual, which is referred to as the teacher’s book (Al-Otaibi, 2004). Moreover, the government provides additional resources, such as posters, ensuring that the English language can be learned with minimal difficulties (Alkhazim, 2003). Students in the course have to attend forty-five-minute English classes four times a week. At the university level, English is used as a medium of communication, especially in courses such as medicine and engineering. Generally, the government encourages English as a second language in the advancement of governmental objectives. For example, the EFL curriculum in Saudi Arabia is aimed at developing English as a means of maximising on international communication and trade. The government approved the inclusion of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) within the education fraternity based on objectives stated by the Ministry of Education (Cordesman, 2012). The major objective of learning English is to equip students with enough intellectual resources to enable the students to embrace basic language skills, such as speaking and learning. In addition, the objective of EFL is to develop awareness that allows for international communication, to explain and present Islamic-related information, and to communicate about Saudi Arabia to the outside world (Al-Otaibi, 2004). Moreover, EFL is intended to allow the transfer of information on technological and scientific advances of other counties to Saudi Arabia. Generally, the objective of EFL is to ensure that information from Saudi Arabia is spread across the world while ideas from other countries are embraced and utilised in developing Saudi Arabia. The approach taken by the English teachers in Saudi Arabia is devised and managed by the Ministry of Education (Alshamsi, 2010). The educational approach in learning English is concentrated on writing and reading. The students are required to record words, fill in blanks, take dictation, improve their handwriting, and complete elementary compositions (Al-Ahaydib, 1986). Even though the government encourages learning English, there are not enough resources and most schools lack the infrastructure to support EFL learning (Al-Hazni, 2003). Moreover, individual teachers are required to create their own teaching aids, which means that the government has not placed enough importance on learning English as compared to other subjects. Even though learning English is not fully funded in the manner of other subjects, the government has pinpointed numerous benefits associated with learning English. The introduction of English to schools and throughout Saudi Arabia has provided a medium through which foreigners and natives can communicate easily (Al-Otaibi, 2004). Moreover, English is utilised in many sectors such as in commerce, business, and technology; hence, the requirements of these sectors have prompted individuals in many countries to learn English as a foreign language. In addition to the secular importance of learning English, religion also provides reasons for individuals to learn English. Saudi Arabia is a religious attraction for Muslims all around the world. It is home to Mecca and Medina—holy places for individuals of Islamic faith. Since it is among the pillars of religion for an individual to make a pilgrimage to these areas at least once in his or her lifetime, Saudi Arabia is bound to have visitors from around the world hoping to fulfil this duty. These individuals will need accommodation and food, among other things. The hospitality industry can thrive only if the clients can be served. Consequently, learning English is essential to all who are involved with these industries and others too because they may interact with these individuals (Al-Shammary, 1984). Approximately 11 million individuals go to Saudi Arabia every year to visit the holy places. The necessity of English and its use are highlighted by the fact that prayers are said in English and in Arabic, as well. Challenges The major problem associated with students pursuing English as a foreign language is the availability of good quality requisite readings (Alsinbl et al., 1996). Learning English requires a lot of materials, from audio recordings to materials that help individuals learn how to write. For example, Arabic writing is completely different from English writing in both the characters and direction of writing; specifically, the English language is written from left to right, while Arabic is written from right to left (Alshamsi, 2010). In addition, accessing such information and materials is hard because few bookshops may exist and some of the required material may be hard to get. Therefore, accessing the right materials for learning is the biggest challenge for the learners. The second challenge, which results from the lack of materials for learning, is trivialisation of content. The contexts and contents of EFL may be affected by the communicative perception of language teaching (Al-Otaibi, 2004). English learning materials may also focus only on the content of English without taking into consideration the social issues that may arise. Authors of books and reading materials are many; while the information in their texts may applicable, many of these authors may not analyse the social context (Al-Sallom, 1995). For example, an author from Morocco may write a book that provides many opportunities to read in English. However, the text written in Morocco may not be applicable when it comes to Hong Kong (Cordesman, 2003). This means that the students learning English or any other foreign language may be disadvantaged because they belong to different social classes, come from different regions of the world, or are of different genders. Generally, the content of numerous texts may not be applicable and useful to certain regions because of issues associated with society. The third problem is related to the perceptions of students, teachers, and society at large. The social environment, especially the learner’s home, may adversely affect the learner’s progress in a foreign language because the social environment may not support and sustain the culture of socialisation especially if the socialisation is not based on the mother tongue or the regional language (Al-Ahaydib, 1986). In addition, there are students who focus on form rather than on meaning, and this may have adverse effects on their progress. Similarly, other learners and students may be adversely affected by their own misconceptions. Another problem is the teachers or tutors who do not practice what they teach. For example, some teachers do not read extensively, and this may affect the entire process because the learners lack role models. These misconceptions and lack of role models can lead to a fourth problem that is more pervasive. Many Arab students learn English as a formality so that they can pass their exams. Even when they do pass the exams, they do so by memorizing the answers needed and reproducing them when asked (Giles & Billings, 2004). Accordingly, they spend hours in class leaning English and come out knowing very little. When they go out into the world to start working in fields such as healthcare and hospitality, they are required to use the knowledge impeccably. This is the point at which they are choosing or pursuing higher learning courses. The teacher has a short period within which he or she is expected to teach the student how to read, write, and speak English competently enough to be an asset in the job market. Because of this pressure, some teachers may not concentrate on the teaching much, which results in the students failing to gain the knowledge they need. However, a competent teacher would be able to meet this challenge and produce successful English speakers. Need for a Standardised Approach Because of the variety of problems presented above, teachers of English as a foreign language in countries like Saudi Arabia need to be well-equipped in dealing with different challenges from different students. In addition, they need to be patient enough to produce significant results. The English curriculum needs to be customized even more so that it is interesting to the students (Moody, 2007). It should be inclusive of what they treasure the most. Since customs and religion are important in the Kingdom, passages in English textbooks could be inclusive of similar content. To address these issues, a standardised model and framework should be in place that helps teachers guide learners to appreciate the foreign language. A comprehensive theory should be embraced that incorporates the learning–teaching process and the teaching and learning of reading within the social context. In addition, teachers with pedagogical knowledge and skills must be encouraged to participate in leadership. As it stands, the lack of enough committed practitioners within the foreign language field is a significant challenge to the students or learners. References Al-Ahaydib, M. (1986). Teaching English as a foreign language in the schools of Saudi Arabia. Lawrence: University of Kansas. Al-Augab, A. (2007). Benefits, Barriers, and attitudes of Saudi female faculty and students towards online learning in higher education. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation: Uunversity of Kansas. Al-balawi, M. (2007). Critical factors related to the implementation of web-based instruction by higher-education faculty at three Universities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation : University of West Florida. Al-Hazni, S. (2003). EFL Teacher Preparation Programs in Saudi Arabia: Trends and Challenges. TESOL Quarterly, 37(2), 341-344 Alkhazim, M. (2003). Higher Education in Saudi Arabia: Challenges, Solutions, and Opportunities Missed. Higher Education Policy, 16, 479-486 Al-Liheibi, A. (2008). Middle and High School Students' Attitudes toward Physical Education in Saudi Arabia. New York: ProQuest Al-Otaibi, G. (2004). Language learning strategy use among Saudi EFL students and its relationship to language proficiency level, gender and motivation. Indiana: Indiana University of Pennsylvania Al-Sallom, H. (1995). Education in Saudi Arabia. Washington: The Saudi Arabian Cultural Bureau Alshamsi, M. (2010). Islam and Political Reform in Saudi Arabia: The Quest for Political Change and Reform. London: Taylor & Francis Al-Shammary, E. (1984). A study of motivation in the learning of English as a foreign language in intermediate and secondary schools in Saudi Arabia, Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation: Indiana University. Al-Shareef, A. (1995). Geography of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 4th Ed. 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