Saudi arabia cultuer - Essay Example

Running head: HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN SAUDI ARABIA King Abdulaziz was mainly interested in education. He brought education in Badia through the establishment of suburbs and the building of mosques. He also brought modern education through opening schools and importing teachers. By his personal interest in the education, his family underwent through daily education lessons, which were received at home. When he attended to his travels, he printed books and distributed free of charge. King Abdulaziz was heard telling his son King Saud "Be sure to learn science because people are nothing without education.

" Education systemThe government in Saudi Arabia is focusing on encouraging womens education, and putting controls and conditions that contribute to teach all the necessary matters in women’s life and the community things of these women (Al-Rasheed, 2010). There are two types of schools in the different levels of education; the first type is a private school, and the second type is a public school. There are also two systems to study at the university; the first system is full time study, and the second system is distance learning.

Foundations and principles for girls education1. The aim of girls’ education is breeding true Muslim behavior to carry out its mission in life that assists girls in being successful housewives. This makes them to be an ideal wife and a good mother, and become prepared to do what fits to the innate as a teachers, nursing and doctors. . 2. The state manages girls education by providing the necessary resources as much as possible to accommodate all students that are able to study. It also gives students the opportunity to learn different types of education that are appropriate to the nature of women and cover the country needs. 3. The education system is not allowed to mix boys and girls in the schools except in nurseries and kindergartens.

Female EducationIn Saudi Arabia, girl’s education has different challenges that are faced in the education movement. The educational process aimed at women has become a competitor to other countries in the world. According to the official statistics report, the number of girls schools exceeded the number of boys schools, while the numbers of girls’ students of public education were more than two million students in various stages of public education (Al-Rasheed, 2010). That figure is nearly close to the number of male student.

The official statistics issued by the Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia revealed that the number of parameters exceeded 250 thousand teachers in Saudi Arabia. This is an increase of 40 thousand teachers. This parameter is the number of male teachers in general education schools. These estimates shows that the rates of girls students was growing in education, where the average rate growth annually compared with the average of girls students in educational institutions by 7 per cent. However, during the period between 1969 and 2007, boys students had the same rate with girls students (Al-Rasheed, 2010).

In 2002, the percentage of male students to the female students is 1 to 1 in the academic year; this is after it had been represented in the proportion of 2 to 1. The number of girls’ student that were associated to a high school and enrolled in college reduced the gap between male and female. This made the numbers and the approximate percentage to be neutral. Higher Education for femaleIn terms of higher education, the percentage of female students has reached approximately 57% of the total college students (Al-Rasheed, 2010).

According to the report, the indicator of the gender gap, which is issued by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with the universities of Harvard and California in 2009, shows that the Saudi Arabia individuals are ranked 25th globally, in terms of the ratio between the genders in university education.(Al-Rasheed, 2010)Female and foreign scholarshipSaudi girls received the benefits of expansion project in external scholarships for students and scholarship to the outside as well. This is to make the expansion to be through 35 public universities and private universities in the country.

According to government statistics, there were forty three thousand students who received government scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate studies (Al-Rasheed, 2010). Currently, girls are studying in 31 countries around the world, in various scientific disciplines. As a result, it has impacted on the employment of women, where the proportion of their contribution to the labor market was 12% cent in 2009. Before that, they did not exceed 5% in 1992. The educational attainment of Women became the important features of womens participation in the labor force, where official statistics indicated that 93% of workers in 2009 were high school graduates and above.

Currently, Saudi women compete with men in the scientific disciplines and literary variety. Moreover, scientist Dr. Hayat Sindi stated that the number of Saudi women who have achieved in the scientific disciplines increased around the world. Also, Saudi women enter the command center and decision-making, meaning that Saudi women are not a source reception cybernetic as the beginning of education, but are involved in the production of science and knowledge, and participate in decision-making (Al-Rasheed, 2010).

It has been the culmination of it 4 years ago to appoint a woman to the post of Deputy Minister, and a woman to serve as a director of the University. In addition, many women leaders in universities and government institutions have all worked side by side with men leadership during the movement of comprehensive development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.These achievements have been translated in the gender gap index report for the year 2009 by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with the universities of Harvard and California (Al-Rasheed, 2010).

The report was placed in Saudi Arabia Center (25th) globally, in terms of the ratio between the genders in the registration of university; deceived ratio of 1:50 and that is ahead of a number of developed countries such as America which has a ratio of 1:41, France has 1:27, Germany has 1:00, Switzerland has 0:93 and Japan has 0:88. (Hamdan, 2005)ConclusionThe last report that was issued by the UNESCO in 2006, entitled "Women in the beauty of science" revealed the low numbers and representation of women in the whole world.

They still have a long time to get equality in jobs and appointments work with men. This report shows also that women represent 25% of researchers in the world. The report stated that the low representation of females in research activities at the international level can be attributed to Education systems especially in the upper levels (Al-Rasheed, 2010). Also, that report showed that there were other factors behind it including: stereotypes, the difficulty of balancing the job and family responsibilities, labor market conditions, the systems of governance, and the role that is occupied by researchers in the community.

The report also appealed to decision makers and individuals responsible for higher education and the status of Science and technology policy not to ignore the issue of gender discrimination.ReferenceAl-Rasheed, Madawi. A history of Saudi Arabia. Cambridge University Press, 2010.