Despite what many may perceive as a highly developed institutional system, the western world’s education has often been criticized as ‘lacking stimuli’ and ‘non-engaging’ with sources frequently citing that a lack of gripping material, exercises and frankly downright one-sided historical reference sets has damaged the young minds of this majorly influential region of the world. This is particularly apparent in the UK and the US which are critiqued to have a ‘processed part’ outlook on a student’s development.
Furthermore, the results of the huge university fees paid out by students in the US and the UK are astounding. According to Time’s website, the average American student is carrying an absurdly large debt of over $25,000 on their shoulders, which works out to a combined debt of over $1 Trillion. In the UK this has become even worse in recent years, with a majority of new full-time students since 2012 having to pay out the full university course fees of over £9000 a year. Combined with living expenses unpayable by a regular 9-6 job, the three years see students with around a £60,000 debt hanging over their heads. What’s worse is that by 2016 this is said to have shot up significantly and will see the average student debt in the US up at $400,000, with the UK to follow suit.
- Current education systems in the West are outdated and unengaging
- Huge Student Debts in the West with over $1 Trillion Combined in the US
This adds to not only fully dissuade many from progressing through their education beyond a college level, but it additionally has a devastating impact on the economy, deepening the recession and driving hard-working families and individuals further into poverty. The large-scale loan system has been shown time and time again not to help the country develop further but to simply put more money in the pockets of the various politicians and business-people behind the schemes.
Throughout the rest of the developing world, in particular in the Middle Eastern countries of Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, a new approach is being taken. Perhaps for the first time in civilized history, the state is taking an interest in the development of its students. And for good reason too: with the rapid development of these countries, not only are a large quantity of well-trained students needed to further fuel the workforce, but these countries recognize that if the world wants to progress further as a whole, it needs to take a dramatically different approach from the way that the state engages its students and administrates its educative sector.
These schemes are particularly apparent with the opening of Oman’s Nobel Education Network School, the OURPLANET International School of Muscat, which has been designed to promote sustainability and help develop students to think about their impact on the environment, as well as giving them the inspiration needed to bring the world together in a more multi-cultural way. This isn’t surprising, seeing as the Omani government is distinctively trying to develop environmentally-friendly systems to lessen the impact of pollution caused by the oil and natural gas refinement industries.
- The Middle East is using new schemes for better education
- Omani government is known for sustainable energy practices
Many other governments in the Middle East are rapidly turning away from their oil and natural gas deposit-run economies too, because as profitable as it may be, they recognize that these sources are not viable for long-term economic structures and alternative forms of both income and energy resources must be developed for both the country and the world to progress. Additionally, these governments have extensively researched into the effects of the standardized western curriculum and upon seeing the effects on the developed western world they have turned instead to the International Baccalaureate Curriculum, which has been designed to help develop the student through improving their receptivity to information while teaching a broader, more balanced view on common subjects.
Many universities in the western world have seen how these countries stand out from the masses and this is apparent with many of these universities setting up satellite campuses all over the countries, including Texas A&M, the University of the North Atlantic-Qatar and even the prestigious University College London. The schools in the region are no laughing matter either, with private-school level education in public schools being offered for free, and even higher-level private schools as an option as well.
- Many Middle East countries are using the IB Curriculum for better results
- Foreign campuses from the West are setting up schools in the Middle East
So with the struggling western economies being dragged down further by stifling tuition fees and a monotonous product-on-the-line system developing people lacking character, ambition and motivation, is it any surprise that so many educative systems are being centered around the new models being developed in the Middle East, which are rapidly seeing better students and effects on the economy? SeekTeachers places teachers all over this region, especially in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Oman, among many others. How about checking their jobs page?