The education systems of countries in North Africa and the Middle East do not serve the needs of today
Countries in North Africa and the Middle East identify to the development of education 5% of GDP and 20% of the budget - it is much more than other developing countries with similar levels of per capita income. In spite of this education systems of countries of this region are in urgent need of modernization. This was reported in a new World Bank report. It was presented today in Amman (Jordan).
The report «Unbeaten Ways: educational reform in the Middle East and North Africa» notes that over the past 20 years, in the region the level of illiteracy fell by half. Since 1970, there the number of students increases in 5 times in higher education in the region. However, despite these achievements, their education systems do not serve the needs of today and graduates are not always competitive, that do not allow them to realize their potential.
The region still lags behind East Asia and Latin America to the level of literacy and average years of schooling among people age of 15 y.o. and older.
World Bank experts have drawn attention to the fact that university graduates can not find a job in the region. The unemployment rate among them is very high. Most of them connect their future only with the public sector, providing guarantees of long-term employment and benefits.
The report provides an economic analysis of education systems in the region and the impact of these demographic changes, globalization, labor migration and labor markets. According to the report, in today’s world characterized by global competition and rapid technological changes, requires knowledge on how to solve problems, and ways of communication and language skills, which in most schools of the region did not pay proper attention. Experts believe that addressing this problem, among other things, prevents the common system of cramming.
The authors emphasize that until now in the Middle East and North Africa the main efforts have focused on building schools, recruiting and training teachers, and primary education as the greatest possible number of children. But this neglected teaching methods.
Experts offer the Governments of the region in parallel with the modernization of education systems to address the reform the labor markets.
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