Time for edu reform

On behalf of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Isa bin Salman Educational Charitable Trust, yesterday attended the World Economic Forum on Middle East and North Africa in Jordan.

The forum began yesterday, addressing “new platforms of co-operation” for the Arab world, bringing together more than a thousand leaders of government, business, civil society, faith, and academia. “If we want to shape the future, we need new collaborative efforts,” said WEF founder Klaus Schwab at the opening of the event.

“We need platforms for cooperation.”  Speakers included King Abdullah of Jordan, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al Falih and Antonio Guterres, secretary-general of the UN. And the main focus yesterday was education reform in the Middle East, as the region faces a triple challenge of 22 million children out of school or at risk of dropping out, high youth unemployment, and diverging access to and quality of public and private education.

As solutions, leaders pointed to technology as an educational tool, life-long and vocational learning, and public-private cooperation. “Our young people are globally connected, tech-savvy, fluent in multiple languages, and determined to succeed. They are proven assets to every enterprise,” King Abdullah said.