Education in Saudi Arabia and Canada - Essay Example

Education in Saudi Arabia and Canada The education system in Saudi Arabia is under the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education. They have pre-primary education, primary education, intermediate education, secondary education and higher education. Primary education lasts for 6 years, intermediate for 3 years, secondary school for 3 years and higher education lasts for 4 years. The subjects taught in these levels of school range from Arabic, art education, vocational training, commercial training and agriculture. These courses are offered according to the level of education. The amount of training advances with the level of education. In Canada, education is mostly provided by the federal government. Canada is divided into provinces, and these provinces oversea education. Education starts from primary school, secondary school and post-secondary education. In most provinces, education is compulsory until 16 years “Council Of Ministers of Education Canada 3-5”. One variation between education in Canada and education in Saudi Arabia is attitude. In Saudi Arabia, mandatory attendance of school has not been imposed by the government. The students are encouraged to attend school since education is given free to all citizens. However in Canada, education is mandatory for all students until the age of 16 years. The education is provided for by the federal government and is almost universal in all provinces except a few of them. There are jurisdictions that have ministries of education that are responsible for the organization, delivery and assessment of education in the various levels of education “Council Of Ministers of Education Canada 3-12”. The mode of teaching in Canada is in English and French. All courses are taught in English or French depending on the area. This makes their education more recognized since it is taught in languages most used in the world. Saudi Arabia on the other hand, the language used in teaching is Arabic. English is taught as a subject but is not spoken during the learning process. Having English as an official teaching language makes Canada compete with education system of the USA and UK. Many students go to study in Canada. There are approximately 240000 international students in Canada at al levels of learning. Canada is ranked the 6th popular destination for international students. Saudi Arabia on the other hand, not so much, in terms of international students. The levels of literacy and numerical skills in Canada currently are high although approximately 9% of the population has difficulty in reading and understanding. This rate is high compared to that of Saudi Arabia which is estimated at 15.3% for men and 19.2% illiteracy according to data form 2007. The adult population in Canada was enrolled in adult education at some point in 2003. This was the younger population compared to general population. The literacy needs of Canadians are met through a combined effort of the provincial and territorial educational departments, the federal government of Canada and a few nongovernmental groups. Religion forms the core of education in Saudi Arabia since the curricula is developed form the Sharia law. Islamic and religious studies are given an emphasis compared to the other courses. In Canada, education is not based on religion. There are institutions that may incorporate religious education in their studies but not as extensive as that offered in Saudi Arabia. This means that more time is spent on teaching other courses such as commercial or numerical, and hence more learning that is diversified. In Saudi Arabia, putting more emphasis on religion is part of their culture which makes them unique. However, less emphasis is placed on the other courses. Segregation by sex is practiced in education in Saudi Arabia. The education offered to girls is different form the education that is offered to the male students. The traditional education offered for girls, differs form that offered to boys (Rugh 1-4). This is part of their culture and the respect they have for it. However, it denies an equal opportunity for study. This trend in Saudi Arabia is however changing and being developed so as to meet the demands for girl education. This is because of the number of social developments such as a decline in fertility and mortality rates, and more women in the labor force. This improvement has been brought about by girl education. (Al Banawi and Yusuf 1-5). Canada offering equal opportunity to all students make them have superior education and skills compared to Saudi Arabia. Statistics showing Canada vs. Saudi Arabia are that the duration of compulsory education in Canada stands at 11 years while that of Saudi is 6 years. The duration of primary and secondary education is the same at 6 years. However, enrollment by tertiary level in Canada is at 1192570, while that Saudi Arabia is at 448800 students per year. In terms of percentage the tertiary enrollment stands at 60% and ranked 10th worldwide while that of Saudi Arabia 22.4% and ranked 67th worldwide. This means that the rate of learning in Canada is higher than that in Saudi Arabia “Canadian Council on Social development 1-4”. Grading scales: the grading scales in Canada vary from those in Saudi Arabia. This means that the standards used in defining the performance of students in Canada and Saudi Arabia are different. In Canada, grades are given from A-F. In Saudi Arabia, they are awarded in point form. For example 5points=marks ranging from 90-100, 4= 80-89. In terms of technology, Canadian education system is more advanced than the Saudi Arabian education. There is the use distance learning, e-learning, use of computers and other technology in teaching. Until recently, the Saudi education did not have much emphasis on technology use (Aljabre 1-6). The trend is catching up in the Arabian countries, although advancements in this use of technology are not as much as that used on Canada. Scientific and technical materials published in Canada are 24803 in 2003, compared to 573 articles in Saudi Arabia. The kind of information published in articles is form research and advancements and this puts Canada at a higher standard than Saudi Arabia. Distance learning has been introduced in Saudi Arabia which will see the number of women benefit from the education “Canadian council on Social development 1-4”. In terms of socio-economic development in Education, Canada is above Saudi Arabia. Saudi academics and other professionals in education do not have higher qualifications as those in Canada. Higher education in Saudi requires more teachers training in order to meet the demands of quality education. They also lack monitoring, evaluation and assessment policies in place to meet the quality of education standards set globally. Though Saudi is about to achieve universal education, the graduates from higher education have limited opportunities (Bronson 1-2). This is because there is a disconnection between the economic and social priorities of the country and the courses offered in school. The Saudi education system is undergoing reforms that will see it reach higher set standards. In conclusion, the education systems of Canada and Saudi Arabia are remarkable. However, Canada’s education system is ahead of theta of Saudi. With the reforms in Saudi, the education system will improve. However, the greatest challenge is the women education “Global Education Network 1-2”. There are a mixture of local norms, traditions and principles that stand in the way. They limit the women’s opportunities for acquiring and or completing education. The high number of dropouts for girls should be reduced, whiles the number of female graduates should increase. Early marriage should be stopped through government enforcement since this limits the chances of women getting formal employment or supporting themselves. Works Cited “Canadian Council on Social Development”. Stats and Facts. A profile of education in Canada. 2012. Web. 13 November 2012. “Council Of Ministers of Education Canada”. Education in Canada. Toronto, Ontario. 2008. Web. 13 November 2012. “Global Education Network”. Saudi’s Higher Education Achievements & Challenges Global Assessment & International Experts’ Views. 25 August 2010. Web. 13 November 2012. Aljabre, Abdulaziz. “An Exploration of Distance Learning In Saudi Arabian Universities: Current Practices and Future Possibilities.” International Journal Of Business, Humanities And Technology. Vol. 2 No. 2. Maryland, USA .March 2012. Web. 13 November 2012. Al Banawi and N. Yusuf. “Impact of the demand of women higher education: A new dimension case: Saudi Arabia.” GSTF Business Review (GBR), 1(2), 161-166. Web. 13 November 2012. Hunter, Darryl.”Defining Educational Standards and Determining Their Reasonableness. University Of Regina.” Web. 13 November 2012.  Bronson, Rachel. Council on Foreign Relations. Saudi System Is The Problem. May 7, 2005. Web. 13 November 2012. Rugh, William, A. “Education in Saudi Arabia: Choices and Constraints.” Middle East Policy, 9(2), 40-55, 2002. Web. 13 November 2012. Read More