Editor’s Note:
This week SUSRIS in collaboration with SUSTG.org will present a Focus KSA Webinar on the topic, “Evolving Education in Saudi Arabia: Making the Grade?” This monthly edition of the Focus KSA series will feature Ambassador James Smith and Dr. Haifa Jamal al-Lail to talk about the current issues in this important topic on Saudi Arabia’s development agenda. Amb. Smith is a Senior Counselor at the Cohen Group and a former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Dr. Haifa Jamal Al-Lail is President of Effat University in Jeddah. Richard Wilson, President SUSTG and Patrick Ryan, Director of SUSRIS will host the Webinar. There are still seats open for this on-line, interactive event — link here.
[Focus KSA Webinar: "Evolving Education in Saudi Arabia: Making the Grade?" - Thursday, July 10th at 10 a.m. ET (5 p.m. Riyadh)]
SUSRIS will provide materials on the Web site and in your inbox this week to provide background and context to our Thursday Webinar. Today we present an overview of Saudi education from the Saudi Embassy Web site and the current SUSRIS Special Section being developed as background for the Webinar. Check back as additional materials are added to the special section and register today for this important Webinar.
Education
Saudi Arabia’s education system has gone through an astonishing transformation. When the Kingdom was established in 1932, education was available to very few people, mostly the children of wealthy families living in the major cities.
Today, Saudi Arabia’s education system includes 25 public and 27 private universities, with more planned; some 30,000 schools; and a large number of colleges and other institutions. The system is open to all citizens, and provides students with free education, books and health services.
While the study of Islam remains at its core, the modern Saudi educational system also provides quality instruction in diverse fields of arts and sciences. This diversity helps the Kingdom prepare its citizens for life and work in a global economy.
Education is a requirement for every Muslim, both male and female. The Holy Qur’an and the Hadith [teachings and practices of the Prophet Muhammad] repeatedly emphasize the importance of learning.
In the centuries after the birth of Islam (632 AD), Muslim states established schools, universities and libraries that were unique in the world. At a time when Europe was mired in the Dark Ages, the Islamic world became a center for learning, making major contributions in the areas of astronomy, physics, art, philosophy, and medicine – a period known as the “Golden Age.”
Methods pioneered by Muslim scholars and scientists during the Golden Age became the foundation of modern sciences, and were taught in European universities up to the 18th century.
Formal primary education began in Saudi Arabia in the 1930s. By 1945, King Abdulaziz bin Abdelrahman Al-Saud, the country’s founder, had begun an extensive program to establish schools in the Kingdom. Six years later, in 1951, the country had 226 schools with 29,887 students.
The first university, now known as King Saud University, was founded in Riyadh in 1957. In 1954, the Ministry of Education was established, followed by the Ministry of Higher Education in 1975.
The first government school for girls was built in 1964, and by the end of the 1990s girls’ schools had been established in every part of the Kingdom. Today, female students make up over half of the more than 6 million students currently enrolled in Saudi schools and universities.
Source: SaudiEmbassy.net
SUSRIS SPECIAL SECTION
This SUSRIS Special Section provides resources for context and background on the issue “Evolving Education in Saudi Arabia: Making the Grade?” — the topic of a Focus KSA Webinar on Thursday, July 10, 2014 at 10a.m. EDT.
Register for the Webinar by linking on the Focus KSA landing page — here.
[This Special Section was created on July 5, 2014]
On SUSRIS
Commentary | Need for Special Education Centers in KSA – Mulhim – SUSRIS – May 27, 2014
Commentary | Overhaul Education – Mulhim – SUSRIS – Dec 29, 2013
Prince Khaled Al-Faisal Named Education Minister – SUSRIS – Dec 22, 2013
USSaudiForum | Saudi Higher Education: Creating the Workforce – SUSRIS – Dec 3, 2013
USSaudiForum | Saudi K-12 Education Reform – SUSRIS – Nov 20, 2013
USSaudiForum | Education and Technological Innovation Panel – SUSRIS – Oct 11, 2013
Commentary | Forum Highlights US-Saudi Business, Education Opportunities – Fatany – SUSRIS – Oct 7, 2013
King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Public Education Development Project – SUSRIS – Sep 14, 2013
US-Saudi Business Opportunities Forums
Panel 1 – K-12 Education Reform: Building the Foundation for an Knowledge-Economy – SUSRIS – Nov 20, 2013
Panel 5 – Higher Education: Creating the Workforce for the Future - SUSRIS – Dec 3, 2013
Special Session: Education and Technological Innovation – Steve Clemons – Editor-at-Large, The Atlantic – Sep 17,2013
Special Session: Education and Technological Innovation – H.E. Dr. Hamad M.H. Al-Sheikh Vice Minister for Male Education, Ministry of Education – Sep 17, 2013
Special Session: Education and Technological Innovation – Linda Katehi – Chancellor, University of California – Sep 17, 2013
Special Session: Education and Technological Innovation – Dr. Willie Hagan – President The California State University – Sep 17, 2013
Special Session: Education and Technological Innovation – Jay Bhatt – President and CEo, Blackboard Inc. – Sep 17, 2013
In the Media
Is Saudization the reason for our poor education system – Saudi Gazette – Jul 5, 2014
Is it wrong to send Saudi women to study abroad? – Saudi Gazette – Jul 5, 2014
Making education an enjoyable experience – Arab News – Jun 29, 2014
Global leader in learning hails plan for education overhaul – Saudi Gazette – Jun 23, 2014
Saudi to establish 27 new technical colleges – ArabianBusiness.com – Jun 12, 2014