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QUALITY EDUCATION: IS THERE HOPE?
Egypt’s educational system
was once one of the finest, producing some of the world’s
most respected writers, scientists and politicians. Today, the sterility
of our education system is cause for major concern.
Numerous problems plague our schools and universities, many the
legacy of Nasser-era policies that measured achievements by the
number of bricks laid, rather than the wealth of knowledge and skills
produced. Our educational institutions continue to suffer from state
domination and control, lack of resources to cope with the tremendous
demand, institutional goals and educational programs that do not
clearly correlate with market needs, standards of education that
are well below international levels, and a system of teaching that
stifles analytical thinking and creativity. And while enrollment
in schools and universities may be virtually free, total annual
expenditure on private tutoring is estimated to reach state budget
proportions. In fact, it is clear that a complete revamping of our
education system is in order if Egypt is to compete in today’s
knowledge-based economy.
For an education system to be effective, it must be free of political
and economic control. This means decentralizing the governance of
our schools and universities, and diversifying sources of funding.
An educational institution is best governed by a freely elected
board representing government, private sector, civil society and
academia, with significant representation of parents in school boards.
Bringing the decision-making process closer to stakeholders will
translate into goals, priorities and programs that better address
market needs. It will also promote a sense of ownership, enhance
fundraising capabilities and ensure optimal use of resources.
Liberating our education system from state control will inevitably
revitalize faculty and staff. A system where posts are awarded based
on qualifications and merit, and where compensation, promotion and
tenure are tied to performance, should propel our teachers to greater
heights of excellence. But first, salaries need to be increased
across the board.
A true measure of an educational institution’s success is
its level of responsiveness to market and development needs. Currently,
our universities churn out thousands of graduates annually whose
knowledge and skills are passed up by the labor market, leaving
them jobless. What we really need is a system for regularly assessing
local and international development needs, and orienting our educational
institutions towards fields and content that are in harmony with
the world’s labor market requirements.
National standards of education should be compatible with international
ones and closely monitored to ensure adherence. As part of the quality
assurance process, enrollment should be based on a system of admission
tests tailored to the institution’s needs. Teacher to student
ratios should be brought down radically, to allow for effective
interchange. Needless to say, teachers and professors should be
of the highest caliber, keeping abreast of new trends and developments
through training and research.
In a world where lifelong learning through self-education has become
a must, a teacher can no longer be viewed as the only source of
knowledge. Rather, the teacher should act as guide and facilitator,
directing students to various sources of knowledge, fostering dialogue
and inquiry, and promoting openness to and respect for other people
and other cultures, while coordinating the overall educational process.
Our whole education system must be geared towards encouraging creativity
and innovation, developing analytical skills, and identifying and
nurturing talent from an early age. Children should be offered meaningful
learning choices that correspond with their inclinations, and encouraged
to engage in extracurricular activities, to develop to their full
potential.
Time is of the essence, but with limited resources, achieving the
goal of quality education for all will take years. This massive
undertaking calls for a mix of creative public-private partnerships,
private not-for-profit initiatives and private investments. Let
us begin by setting up at least one model school in every governorate,
and revamping one university, giving priority in enrollment to the
most outstanding of our youth. By investing in quality education,
we will be injecting new life into our economy.
OMAR A. MOHANNA
President, AmCham Egypt
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