Despite the extensive lip service paid to reform and the need to modernize, the Middle East continues to lag behind other regions in educational standards. Professor Raja Kamal* looks at what must be done to reverse this situation.
 

Middle-aged Jordanians will be quick to acknowledge the remarkable economic growth that has transformed the Kingdom into a middle-income economy. They have seen the country change in front of their eyes. In the few years since His Majesty King Abdullah II ascended to the throne, the nation has enacted broad economic reforms and practiced careful monetary policy, also engaging in extensive privatization. At the same time, Jordan’s exports are on a steadily increasing trajectory. However, as Jordan continues to create new jobs to increase its middle class, it also must reform and improve its public-education system. The current system is flawed and requires a drastic overhaul.

Public education in Jordan, as in most Arab countries, is bordering mediocrity. The results of international tests reveal that Jordan’s performance in math and science to be among the lowest in the world. For example, the PISA (the Programme for International Student Assessment) evaluates Jordan at 50th place of 57 nations. This is unacceptable if Jordan is to compete effectively in the global market.  It must produce talented students to be the foundation of its economy, especially because Jordan has very few natural resources.

I examined five governments in the Arab world including Jordan, hypothesizing that very few Cabinet members rose to their positions through the public education system. What I found is that the vast majority of ministers attended private schools. While not a perfect proxy, one could infer that a graduate of the public system may face severe obstacles that private-school graduates would not. Alumni of the public schools are, therefore, limited in their economic and societal positions, as well as in their ability to integrate into the economy, attend college, and become civic or business leaders. In comparison, members of the Israeli Cabinet are all products of the public-educational system.

There is a pervasive myth that students who attend the best colleges in the world come from private schools. Yet, when you look at two of the top American universities - Harvard and the University of Chicago - the opposite is true. Both institutions admit the bulk of their incoming freshmen from public schools. In both universities, almost 70% of the incoming freshmen graduated from public high schools. I believe that nations that lack pride in their public education are bound to lag behind economically and socially.   

So, what is wrong with Jordan’s public-educational system?  Like the PISA test results have suggested, the focus on math and science is weak. PISA also suggests a shortage of teachers that are qualified to teach math and science. Teacher expectations are low, which, in turn, translates into lower performance results. If Jordan wants to compare its public-educational system with those of Qatar and Kyrgyzstan, then the results are comparable - all three are inadequate.

However, if Jordan aspires to be among the best performing nations, then the road is long, and deep structural adjustments are required. Singapore, which like Jordan has very few natural resources, managed to improve education and upgrade the quality of its human resources. The result is a competitive nation with an impressive economy. Jordan can achieve the same if it commits to reforming its public education system. Jordan is capable of being like Singapore, with a long-term plan for reforms to its public-education system.

Jordan must assess the math and science curriculums and determine if they meet international standards. Teachers too must be tested to determine their capabilities to teach future Jordanian leaders. This is an important responsibility. Unqualified teachers should be phased out and good teachers should be rewarded. Finally, Jordan should consider introducing technology as a supplement to the math and science curricula. Already in consideration in many developing countries around the world, this would enhance the learning environment of the Jordanian student and better prepare them for future employment.

The future of Jordan rests on a smart, educated, and competitive labor force. Reforming public education is a necessity. Good quality education is the ultimate equalizer.

 * Raja Kamal is associate dean at the Harris School for Public Policy Studies at the University of Chicago.
This article is strictly the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Jordan Business.