Mohammed Ahmed Raheed Minister of Education

The quality education guarantees the quality of output

The convening of this 47th session of International Conference on Education (September 2004) under the theme “Quality education for all young people” is a critical and serious contribution towards enhancing the role of education and learning in preparing and educating the young people for a glorious future for themselves, their native countries and for the mankind. The discussions to be hold on the theme of this conference and the resultant recommendations thereof shall constitute a desirable support to the governments in intensifying their efforts and reinforcing their steps towards achieving quality education for young people and therefore attain the ultimate objective of education and learning.

Out of my unshaken belief in the importance of UNESCO and its noble objectives, I do repeatedly read in its mission and objectives statement, in particular I read in the preamble of UNESCO Charter which I quote: “the governments of the states parties to this constitution on behalf of their peoples declare: That since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed.”

From this deep and realistic understanding of the state of affairs came the association between the causes of wars and the programs of education and learning which basically aim at enriching the minds and the souls and at refining the behaviour and morals in a manner that makes it soar over the lofty humanistic horizons, hovering with the two wing of peace and science. And it will therefore be able to foster the brethren and warm ties among men and mankind which will eventually contribute to or even prevent all sorts of conflicts and wars.

The world events we are witnessing today and the instabilities confronted by the present world emphasize the urgent need for new programs and a multitude of projects in the field of quality education to provide an increased awareness to education and learning programs in the various countries and to foster the efforts made towards upgrading the quality education in order that a balanced personally can be nurtured from both sexes in a manner that ensure their contribution and cooperation with other fellow citizens in building their native country.

Amid my continuous concern with education and learning issues I do feel a great need for improvement and development in education and learning programs so that they can play a greater role in constructing the personalities of children and young people, because in my own opinion, they have not yet reached the intended influence over the behaviour of male and female students. I belief that their influence is very limited in developing a realistic vision and in recognizing the immediate and remote social environment. This is associated with the notion that learning and education are not merely a collection pedagogical skills and values that are to be memorized by students during their academic study and then to be measured and tested using various assessment tools; nor does it merely scientific experiments to be conducted by children and youth in schools labs. Education and learning are much more important than that. It is therefore very essential for those concerned with education to pay a lot of attention to the quality of education. This will eventually ensure the preparation of minors in a manner that make them more able to contribute to and to interact positively with their environment and the world in various respects. Such notions will entail reconsidering the objectives of education as well as developing learning and education programs that can effectively contribute to the formation of student personalities.

Looking into the realities of the present world and considering the foreseeable future charge us, as educators, with great and unique responsibilities that entail the adoption of cooperation among us at various levels. We are confronting an era that is characterized by unprecedented and swift changes, overwhelmed by the economies of knowledge, the power of changing scientific progress and the forceful, miraculous flow of information. This problem is aggravated by the huge discrepancy in the resources of different countries and in the un proportional domination of the big powers, which make it more difficult for the developing countries to attain their ambitions in progress and development. However the field of education will remain the most promising tool for the various countries to foster their strengths to contribute toward the progress of mankind. Such ambitions and objectives will never materialize unless a sincere and hones cooperation prevail among the various countries, in a way that rich countries take their responsibilities towards the needy countries so that all the efforts work toward the formation of a cooperative human society that can make the children and youth happy with acceptable and suitable learning and education programs.

My country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has already taken rapid steps during the last few decades in order that the right of education be availed to all Saudi children, males as well as females. This objective has now been realized and can be seen in the wide spread of male and female schools, and all those in the schooling age are unanimously enrolled. Therefore the focus and emphasis are presently cast on education quality programs and the improvement of output.

The ten year plan adopted by the Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia for the years 2004-2014 has incorporated the strategic objectives of this plan, embracing the assurance of compulsory education and the adoption of a package of policies and procedures aiming at improving the annual enrolment rate to reach 3% and therefore achieve full access for the increasing number of male and female students by the end of the ten year plan. This will eventually address the annual increase in the male and female students putting into consideration that the students in the age group 0-18 years constitute 49% of the total population in the kingdom by the year 2010. The ten year plan is also seeking to upgrade and expand school buildings, to improve pre – service and in –service teacher training programs, to encourage the programs for the integration of those with special needs and to enhance the contribution of student non-class activities in building integral personalities of children and youth.

Finally, I hope that this conference achieves the intended objectives and get the results that we seeking for fostering and developing the quality education programs and projects which are presently adopted in a number of member states, among them my country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.