Job Discussion Forums

[Rostom]

[trapezius]

Never heard of cloning?

[Grendal]

[quote="trapezius"]Actually, looking at higher education is the wrong thing to do.

SA will not develop a mature, skilled, and knowledgeable workforce until they bring their K-12 curriculum up to international standards. Once that is done, everything else will automatically fall in place.

The country has one of the worst K-12 curricula in the world. Creating mega-universities here for Saudi students is like trying to polish a t***.

[quote]

Here here trap. You hit the nail into the coffin. Why am I trying to teach these university students English with a watered down curriculum that my brother-in-law's children in public school can do standing on their heads?

They have no proper math instruction or even science in public schools. They (Saudi students) come to prep year at university to learn maths, science, IT, social studies, and finally if they have the time, English. Prep year is like a bridge between high school and university. And they have to master everything that they didn't learn in their 5 years of high school in one year of prep. The form of education that they are used to is getting full marks for everything and passing with 100%. When they come to prep year they are expecting the same and pretty much get it too. I just prepared an authentic listening track for their finals that sounds like two mentally retarded English speakers speaking at a rate so slow that you would think the teachers who recorded them were mentally challenged. It goes right across the board with all the exams being prepared for them. It is really a crying shame what is happening to the educational system here. Until K-12 education stops slacking off there will always be this problem of cramming everything into the brains of young Saudi students entering prep year.

G

[nomad soul]

On a related note...

Why Saudi families prefer international schools
Saudi Gazette | May 10, 2014
Source: http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20140510204630

Saudi families all over the Kingdom face a dilemma when it is time to enroll their children in school. Unlike the past when parents had to choose between private and public schools where the primary medium of instruction was Arabic, parents these days have to decide whether to forgo Arabic schools and instead enroll their children in the dozens of international schools all over the country. Surprisingly, an increasing number are choosing the latter.

The majority of Saudi parents who enrolled their children in an international school said they were drawn by international curriculums that allow their children to acquire a modern education and learn skills that will help them be successful later in life. Also, international schools in the Kingdom boast of having highly advanced teaching methods that help students acquire proficiency in English and other foreign languages.

According to a study carried out by Muhammad Omair Al-Khalidi, professor of education at Umm Al-Qura University, 70 percent of Saudi parents want to get their children enrolled in international schools while 18 percent do not. The remaining 12 percent of parents said they were not sure as they were not familiar with the curriculums being followed in international schools. The study, which covered four major Saudi cities, also showed that a majority of Saudi students at international schools are satisfied with their studies. Al-Khalidi said several parents pointed out that the teaching method followed by a large number of government schools is based on rote learning rather than problem solving, and it not in pace with advances made in contemporary education systems. “In both local and international competitions for academic achievements and innovations, private and international school students are bagging most of the prizes. We have to think of the reasons why students of international schools outshine students of government schools,” he said.

Earlier, the Ministry of Education gave the green light for Saudi students to join international schools owned by Saudi investors. Ibrahim Al-Salim, chairman of the private education committee at the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the ministry’s approval came on the basis of requests made by several parents who claimed that enrolling their children in international schools is the best way to improve their English proficiency. There are conditions set by the ministry that must be met in order for Saudi students to be admitted to an international school. For example, the school must have secured at least 70 percent in the special evaluation grading of schools and the school’s owner should be a Saudi.

Mansour Al-Jibran, a Saudi parent, also noted that students of private international schools typically win majority of prizes for outstanding performance in curricular and co-curricular activities in the Kingdom. According to a recent announcement by the ministry, 95 percent of international prizes for students in the Kingdom went to private and international schools. “This outstanding performance of international schools is what prompted many Saudi parents to run after private and international schools so as to give their children an opportunity to develop their talents and acquire improved skills.”

Abdullah Al-Ghamdi, another parent, also said he was determined to give his children an education that keeps pace with the contemporary age. “Unlike international schools, the method of learning at government schools and even some private schools is based on traditional rote learning. This system does not help develop a child’s personality. It is the need of the hour for schools to update their teaching methodologies and concentrate on teaching the English language,” he said while adding that Saudi parents are turning to international schools in pursuit of better and quality education for their children.

Not everyone is happy with this recent trend. Waleed Al-Suwailem, principal of a private school, said international schools should not be allowed to ignore teaching of Arabic as a language and religious subjects. “These schools are focusing more on teaching English, science and mathematics rather than Arabic and religious subjects.” Khulood Al-Othman, a mother, said growing demand means more international schools will open in the near future, something which she thinks will produce a negative impact on the national identity of Saudi children. “I had enrolled my daughter in an international school because of my desire to make her proficient in English. But after some time, I realized that learning English came at the expense of Arabic and religious subjects,” she said while adding that students at the school, which follows an American curriculum, dedicate only one hour each day for learning Arabic and the Qur’an.

Awad Al-Maliki, assistant director of private and foreign education at the Department of Education in the Eastern Province, said international schools that want to admit Saudi students must fulfill certain conditions. First of all, they have to send a request to the concerned supervising agency in the region. The conditions include international accreditation, ministry’s approval of the curriculum, including subjects such as Arabic language, history and geography of Saudi Arabia in the syllabus, and allocating at least half of the time government schools allot for these subjects. Curriculums should not contain anything that is against the Shariah or Saudi traditions and regulations.

(End of article)

[Rostom]

[2buckets]

Scot47

It's not" the imminent end of the "Oil Economy" that I'm talking about,

it's the imminent end of the GULF "Oil Economy that I mean.

[johnslat]

Dear 2buckets,

Imminent or eventual? If imminent, could you provide a time-line?

Regards,
John

[MuscatGary]

[johnslat]

Dear MuscatGary,

That was pretty much the point of my question. Imminent? What does that mean? Next week? This year? In 5, 10, 15, 20 more years? For which Gulf countries? All? Some?

Any reputable sources for this immanency?

Regards,
John

[Grendal]

Source: http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20140510204630 (Last paragraph)

Awad Al-Maliki, assistant director of private and foreign education at the Department of Education in the Eastern Province, said international schools that want to admit Saudi students must fulfill certain conditions. First of all, they have to send a request to the concerned supervising agency in the region. The conditions include international accreditation, ministry’s approval of the curriculum, including subjects such as Arabic language, history and geography of Saudi Arabia in the syllabus, and allocating at least half of the time government schools allot for these subjects. Curriculums should not contain anything that is against the Shariah or Saudi traditions and regulations.

As I was saying earlier in this thread, and elsewhere on the Saudi forum.

so let it be written, so let it be done

Grendal

[Grendal]

Look!! The plain and simple reality of the education system here is to keep these kids off the streets. And in doing so, to also inoculate them with more religion and tradition. In the end you will get a product that fits nicely into Saudi Society ONLY!!!!

We are just the babysitters here, and if you think you are here to teach them you then you have something else in store for you. Don't kick against the cactus pricks and needles. Accept your place here. Humbly go to the bank and transfer your money overseas, and everything will be alright. The students will be happy, the Saudi administrators will be happy, and you will be happy. This is the harsh reality here, and if your stomach or ethics or mind can't take it then you have no place here at all.

We are here for the money. Not to teach this society of our culture and language. They really don't give a hoot about our culture. Their istirahas and desert outings are more important culturally than the education that we are trying to impart on them.

so let it be written, so let it be done

Grendal

[YouGotFlawned]

[2buckets]

johnslat:
5 to 10 years.

It depends on the results of the 2016 elections in the USA. If they vote in an administration that is friendly to energy production and allows the opening of vast areas of public lands for exploitation, then it the price of carbon based energy (oil and gas), will come down very quickly. As it is now, North Dakota is producing so much oil and gas that they can't move all the gas into pipelines and are flaring off 37% into the atmosphere, something that you could regularly see only in Gulf oil producers. North Dakota and recently opened fields in West Texas are only a very small percentage of what is available on public lands. Politics will decide if there is a bigger energy boom in the USA. The production in N. Dak. and Texas is on private land. Texas production is on "old" fields that have been reinvigorated by new technology. Both these areas are "boom" towns with the lowest skilled Mc-jobs paying $25. an hour, $60. an hour for mechanics, drivers etc is common.

If the US economy continues its sluggish "recovery", and unemployment remains high, and energy and food prices remain high, then "imminent will be sooner rather than later.

Ironically, touchy-feely Canada is going all out producing oil from Alberta tar sands, probably the most expensive and dirtiest oil on the market. If they do it, eventually the US will too.

Estimates by knowledgeable petro-experts predict that oil prices could get down to $75.00 a barrel or even lower. This would have a severe impact on the Gulf economies and would also put the Russian economy and Putin in a bad situation. (Russia has nothing but oil and gas to sell, it has been described as a “gas station”). North American energy could easily be shipped to western Europe which would put Russian threats to turn off the gas null and void.

Remember, oil was as low as $40. a barrel in 2009, so with increased supply, much lower prices are a realistic prediction.

Grendal +1
Put your money in the bank and keep your mouth shut.
Shut-up and take the money.

Advice I got back as long ago as my time in Iran. It has served me well.

[veiledsentiments]

If oil goes down to $75 or below per barrel, fracking becomes economically unfeasible in North Dakota... which by the way is moving well into federal parklands already.... not just private land.

VS