Education in the Middle East in the Last 20 Years - Essay Example

Education in the Middle East in the Last 20 Years Abstract Education has a number of benefits, as it is the key to all aspects of development in a given society. It has thus been considered a fundamental right of every individual in the society. Various movements have been initiated that advocate for the rights of individuals to receive education. Such movements have been helpful in improving access to education in most of the Middle East countries. Just like in any of the other developing countries, education was not taken seriously in the Middle East countries in the past. Poor governance, political revolutions, poor traditional laws, and high poverty levels have had negative reflections on attitudes towards education especially for the girl child. However, the reform movements have seen significant changes in the people’s perception of education. The governments are increasingly investing in education as they seek aid from international agencies and industrialized nations. Thus, despite the difficulties that are experienced in the most of the Middle East countries, there have been significant improvements in education in these countries, especially in the last two decades. The level of literacy, especially for women, has improved dramatically with women having more access to institutions of higher learning. Education improving in the Middle East in the last 20 years Introduction Education has been considered as one of the fundamental human rights that are necessary for development in a given society. Every individual in the society has the right to access quality education owing to the benefits that education has to the individual and to the society. Education contributes towards all aspects of development in the society. It provides individuals with the basic knowledge and skills that are appropriate for the development of a career. It provides the medium through which different talents can be identified that are beneficial to the society (Behrman & Stacey, 1997, p.11). Education improves an individual’s general understanding of life as well as how to relate with others morally and responsibly in the society. Through education, one is able to understand his or her fundamental rights and freedom in the society, and the necessary steps to be taken when such rights are infringed. The fights for democratic forms of government that are experienced in different parts of the world can be easily won if the citizens are more educated. The education in the Middle East has been low as compared to the other parts of the world like the West. In many regions in the Middle East, education was not taken seriously by the public as well as the government. It was considered a luxury and its access was limited to few individuals (Editorials, 2005, para.3). The restrictions were extreme on the female children. The political oppression, traditional beliefs, and high levels of poverty greatly contributed to this situation. The Middle East Countries include the Arab nations in South Asia and North Africa like Syria, Yemen, Egypt, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Armenia, and Bahrain among several others. The countries have certain similarities and differences in terms of the system of government, economic activities, and the religious culture. All these countries exhibit the Arab–Muslim relations. Most of these countries and the neighboring countries of North Africa that form the Greater Middle East have experienced civil wars resulting from poor forms of governance as well as terrorists attacks. The North African Arab nations have experienced rebel movements that have seen most of their long-term leaders hoisted unceremoniously. Similar revolutions continue to be witnessed in the Middle East countries like Syria and Yemen. These are threats to different aspects of development in the country. The movements have effects on education as one the aspects of social developments that can be witnessed in a given nation. Nonetheless, education has numerous benefits to all the members of a given society. As a result, all the individuals in the society should have equal access to good quality education. Most of the Middle East countries have realized these benefits of promoting education among the citizens and have put in efforts to ensure the individuals have access to proper education. Despite the high political temperatures that have been, and continue to be, witnessed in some of the Middle East countries, the governments have striven to uphold education and establish different learning facilities. Significant developments have been seen in education in these countries over the last twenty years. The continued efforts promise even better educational standards in these countries in the future. The governments in different parts of the Middle East should continue with their efforts to ensure that learning facilities are established and equally distributed within their territories. The individuals should have equal opportunities for education and occupation. This paper focuses on the trends that have been witnessed in education in the Middle East countries with much emphasis on the education patterns in the last twenty years. The problems that have been witnessed in these countries that had negatives impacts on education are highlighted. There is also a discussion on the future of education in the Middle East countries. Thesis statement Despite the challenges that have been witnessed in the Middle East countries like political upheavals and terrorist actions, the countries have shown efforts to promote education of their citizens and the efforts have yielded fruits in the recent past. Education has generally increased in the regions over the last twenty years. Benefits of Education It has been pointed out that education is necessary to promote all spheres of development in a given society through empowering the individuals. It is the key to the changes and reforms that are advocated for by many human rights activists in the society. Due to its unquestionable benefits, education is a fundamental right of every individual in a given society. Education empowers individuals to contribute towards social, political, and economic development in several ways. Firstly, education is the fundamental tool to fight poverty, especially in the developing countries (Roudi-Fahimi & Moghadam, 2003, p.2). Education contributes to economic development in the society through providing training to the individuals to engage in some occupation. It enables an individual to identify an area of interest and ability and develop a career (Behrman & Stacey, 1997, p.11). The knowledge and skills gained through education improves on the individual’s creative and innovative abilities that are essential in improving an economy. The individuals are able to improve their own lives and the economy of the country since the expertise needed in the business and industrial sectors are available. Education enables individuals to be engaged in productive jobs and the individuals are able to learn and adopt the modern technology in their tasks to improve productivity (Taylor, 2004, p.3). Secondly, education removes ignorance and frees the mind of an individual. It informs an individual of his/her fundamental rights and freedom. This is particularly important in the countries that have experienced political oppression like the Arab Middle East countries. Through education, the children are able to ‘to see beyond a world of hate and hopelessness to one of unlimited opportunity’ (Editorials, 2005, para.2). It restores the lost hopes of individuals in the society that have been subjected to stringent restrictions negatively influencing their lives. In this way, education also contributes towards political developments. It is necessary for the development of a democratic system of government in which the individuals’ rights and freedoms are not violated. Education promotes social development. It enables an individual to understand how to relate positively with different individuals in the society. Through education, an individual realizes the diversity that exists in the society and how to develop a differential approach to deal with these distinct population groups. The spirit of prejudice is reduced through education (Editorials, 2005, para.2). Most of the civil wars that are experienced in different countries often occur due to the ideological differences among the individuals involved. Education enables individuals to adopt a more diplomatic approach to the solution of any emerging social issue that can have serious impacts on the lives or health of the members of the public. Similarly, education enables one to have a better understanding of human life to derive a meaning out of life. An educated individual is able to understand the life necessities like proper human health. Such an individual is more likely to observe the hygienic conditions and other bodily requirements necessary for good human health. The 2000 demographic and health survey in Egypt indicated that there was a negative relationship between child mortality rate and the level of education of the mother (Roudi-Fahimi & Moghadam, 2003, p.3). For instance, the mortality rate was 95% for children below the age of five whose mothers had no education while the rate was 38% for children whose mothers had completed secondary and higher education levels (Roudi-Fahimi & Moghadam, 2003, p.3). Education in the Middle East in the Earlier Days The level of literacy has been low in most parts of the Middle East in the past. Just like in many parts of the world, the regions had divergent attitudes towards education. Political oppression, high poverty levels, and gender discrimination were some of the factors that led to high levels of illiteracy. There was no equal access to education. Education was considered as a luxury in some regions with only a few individuals having access to the learning facilities (Editorials, 2005, para.3). Girls were particularly affected by these trends. The traditional laws and customs attached females to the domestic chores and it was believed that there were no proper reasons educating the girl child. Females got married at early ages and were expected to assume the domestic responsibilities. The effect was a high proportion of the population that was illiterate. These trends continued up to recently in some parts of the Middle East, though with improvements. A 2005 report by the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization indicated that the number of illiterate women in the Middle East and North Africa was 75 million while that of men was 45 million (Editorials, 2005, para.3). The large margin was due to the gender discrimination largely attributed to the customary laws. Challenges Facing the Middle East Countries The Middle East countries have experienced different challenges that were barriers to access to proper education. Some of these challenges continue to rock the region to this date. One of the challenges is overpopulation in most of the countries in the Middle East. In as much as other countries struggle to maintain their population, the Middle East countries struggle to contain an ever-increasing population. The population in these countries has increased due to a number of reasons. Firstly, there are high levels of fertility among the Arab women who also get married at very early ages. The low availability and use of contraceptives as well as the Islamic (Shariah) laws that prohibit abortion add on these adverse situations (Kamrava, 2005, p.364). The large population is also attributed to the migration of individuals into the oil-rich countries in search of employment (Kamrava, 2005, p.364). It then becomes difficult to accommodate this population and provide social services like education. There is pressure to increase employment opportunities for this population. This situation is worse in the urban areas that have even higher population density. The region has recorded significant growth of the urban population leading to overpopulation in the regions. The urban population in the Arab Middle East was 84 million in 1980 and had increased to about 173 by last year (Bowker, 2010, p.3). Complementary to the high population is the issue of poor infrastructure. The regions lack a proper build-up of infrastructural facilities and yet the large population calls for these facilities like learning institutions, access to clean water and food supply. The other problem is bad governance and poor political systems that have been in some Middle East countries. Some of the countries had, and continue to have, authoritative leaders who would not want to relinquish their powers to others despite their failures to set and implement proper public policies. There is often a wide rift between the ruler and the ruled (Bowker, 2010, p.3). The political systems in the entire regions are characterized by low levels of transparency and accountability and several cases of corruption. Very little attention is given to the creative and innovative abilities of the few educated middle-class youths in the society. Reform movements attempt to restore some political and social stability in the region but there are few legal provisions to support such movements. The other challenge is low economic levels in some parts. While some of the Middle East countries are endowed with natural resources like oil, some regions are not endowed with the resources. It has been pointed out that ‘the benefits of the boom in oil prices are being felt unevenly across the region, both between the countries and within Arab societies’ (Bowker, 2010, p.3). A larger section of the Middle East countries consists of arid and semi arid lands that may not support agriculture. Crop farming is thus practiced under irrigation using the network of rivers that nourish some of these regions. Such individuals may not be able to access proper education on their own. Education in the Middle East in the Last 20 Years In spite of the challenges that have faced most of the Middle East countries, some developments have been seen in the social and political systems that have contributed positively towards education. Significant developments have been seen in education in the Middle East over the last two decades, a trend that was set in pace a decade or so earlier. Firstly, the access to education has improved remarkably over past few decades in the Middle East and North African countries. Primary school enrollments are high in most countries as compared to the past. Basic education is a universal requirement considered as basic human rights in most of the countries (Roudi-Fahimi & Moghadam, 2003, p.1). This is indicated by the level of literacy that has increased significantly in these countries. In a report on the literacy levels in some selected countries, the UNESCO Institute of Statistics indicated the level of literacy among females aged between 15 and 24 years increased steadily between 1990 and 2000, a trend that was also witnessed earlier. For instance, in Iran, the literacy increased from 80% in 1990 to over 90% by 2000. Similarly, the rates increased from about 75% in 1990 to over 95% in 2000 in Oman (Roudi-Fahimi & Moghadam, 2003, p.1). Similar trends were also recorded in North African countries like Egypt, Algeria, and Morocco. The increasing trends in literacy have continued not only among the females but also among the males in most of the Middle East countries. For instance, with the support of the U.S. in providing basic education, the overall literacy rate in Jordan had increased to 90% (Editorials, 2005, para.4). Secondly, there has been a better trend in the enrollment patterns for girls and boys in primary schools indicating equal access to educational opportunities. The enrollment rates are almost equal for both boys and girls in most of the Middle East countries. Similarly, the gender gaps seem to have disappeared in the enrollment patterns in secondary schools in most countries. In fact, the enrollment of women in secondary schools had even surpassed that of men in some of the Middle East countries by 2002. This was witnessed in countries like Bahrain (105:98), Jordan (89:86), Lebanon (79:72), and the United Arabs Emirates (80:71) (Roudi-Fahimi & Moghadam, 2003, p.5). The other encouraging result that has been realized in the recent years is the increasing number of women enrolling for hire education. Women are more likely to enroll for higher education than it was in the past. The enrollment ratio for women was even higher than that of men in the universities in some of the Middle East countries according to the 2002 report by the UNESCO. For instance, the female population in the universities accounted for 60% in Bahrain, 68% in Kuwait, and 73% in Qatar (Roudi-Fahimi & Moghadam, 2003, p.5). Perhaps this can also be attributed to the worsening economic situations in most of the countries that have raised the cost of living. The increasing costs of living have forced families to educate females as well as males. The contributions that the female members of the family can make when educated have been evident prompting families to educate females as well (Roudi-Fahimi & Moghadam, 2003, p.3). Factors that Promoted the Education The main factors that have contributed to the growth in literacy level are various reform movements that have been initiated at the local and international levels to advocate for the right to education. Various national and international agencies have come out to advocate for, and support, education especially for the girl child in the Middle East countries. Firstly, education has been declared a human right by many humanitarian movements. The Universal declaration of Human Rights and the Program Action of 1994 put much emphasis on the importance of education in promoting developments in different parts of the world (Roudi-Fahimi & Moghadam, 2003, p.2). It was then considered a fundamental right and that the relevant government agencies should ensure every child has access to proper education. In its Millennium Summit, the UN also outlined the Millennium Development Goals in 2000 that included improved education as one of the objectives (Roudi-Fahimi & Moghadam, 2003, p.2). The second and third goals deal with promoting female education and empowering women in the society. The second goal is to reduce illiteracy by ensuring that all children have access to primary education by 2015 whereas the third goal advocates for gender equality. This implies that both boys and girls have to be given equal opportunities for education. The other contributing factor is the political reforms that have been witnessed in some parts of the Middle East. While some countries of the Middle East still experience political revolutions and rebellion against the incumbent governments, others have gained social and political stability and are in the process of constructing their nations. There have been nationalist and Islamist reform movements in most parts of the Middle East. Changes have been seen in the position of the women in the society characterized by increased female education and paid labor. The future of Education in the Middle East The governments in the politically stable Middle East countries have shown promising efforts to invest more on education to improve the development rates in the region. The level of literacy is likely to improve more. However, many challenges are still being faced in education in most of these countries. A good proportion of the individuals, especially the girls, still do not have proper access to proper education and neither do they obtain quality training that equips them with the skills applicable in the job market (Roudi-Fahimi & Moghadam, 2003, p.1). Students in some of the countries still have little access to institutions of higher learning. The increasing number of children that require basic education in these regions puts pressure on the government and other concerned agencies that provide for such services. Education then fails to provide what is essential in promoting development in these countries (Roudi-Fahimi & Moghadam, 2003, p.1). It is then necessary that the governments receive support from some of the developed nations across the world to promote education through establishment of more learning facilities in the regions. The international agencies should continue advocating for the children’s right to education as the fundamental principles behind a nation’s development. There is need to initiate and mobilize reform movements that advocate for the equitable access to quality education by both boys and girls, as the latter have often been denied access to proper education. There is hope to overcome these growing challenges owing to the willingness of some developed nations to provide support in education in these regions. The government of the United States has intervened to promote education in these Middle East countries with more emphasis on the education of the females and girls. The U.S. government has been working side by side by different governments to ensure that children are given educational opportunities through the expansion of the learning facilities in the regions (Editorials, 2005). The governments of most of the Middle East countries have also put improvement of literacy as one of their main goals to be attained by 2015. This has been partially achieved by some countries like Jordan that had literacy rate of ninety percent by 2005 (Editorials, 2005). Similar efforts are witnessed in other countries like Israel, Bahrain, and Lebanon. With such efforts in place, it is likely that the increasing trend that has been witnessed in the past few decades in education in the Middle East is likely to continue. Conclusion The benefits of education in promoting different aspects of development in a given society are evident. With the current increased globalization, the country’s position in the global sphere is greatly determined by the level of literacy in the country. The creative and innovative abilities of the individuals in a given country will determine the extent to which the country can withstand stiff global competition in all sector of the economy. Education is the key to eradication of poverty, the major social issue rocking most of the developing nations. It empowers individuals in the society who can then understand and fight for their fundamental rights and freedom to improve on the social and political system in their countries. Various local and international agencies have understood the benefits of education and have strongly advocated for the same. Female education has been one of the fundamental objectives of such reform movements. Such reform initiatives have had significant impacts on the education in most of the Middle East countries. As some of the developing countries, education in these countries has been very poor with high levels of illiteracy among the citizens. There was little or no access to quality education in most of these countries in the past with the females being discriminated the most. Even in the event that education was accused, it was not of good quality that could provide the essential skills applicable in the real life situations. The education so provided was then useless in promoting development in these regions. However, with the reform movements and aid from the developed nations, there have been significant developments in the education patterns in the Middle East countries. The governments in different countries of the Middle East have set education as one of their objectives. They have purposed to eliminate illiteracy by 2015. The levels of illiteracy have decreased considerably with increased access to quality education especially for the females. Thus, even though there have been significant challenges, education has generally improved in the Middle East countries especially over the last two decades. The trend is likely to continue if the international agencies and developed countries work hand-in-hand with the governments of the Middle East countries. References Behrman, J. and Stacey, N. (1997). The social benefits of education. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press Bowker, R. (2010). Egypt and the Politics of Change in the Arab Middle East. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing Editorials. ( 2005). Education In The Middle East. Retrieved from http://www.voanews.com/policy/editorials/a-41-2005-06-06-voa1-83102792.html Kamrava, M. (2005). The modern Middle East: a political history since the First World War. London: University of California Press Roudi-Fahimi, F. and Moghadam, V. (2003). EMPOWERING WOMEN, DEVELOPING SOCIETY: Female Education in the Middle East and North Africa. MENA Policy Brief. Retrieved from http://www.prb.org/pdf/EmpoweringWomeninMENA.pdf Taylor, J. (2004). Economic Growth in the Greater Middle East. 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