Culture & Education | Monday 21 March, 2016 7:03 am |

Training teachers and boosting their skills will require great efforts and money and the existing training centers in the Kingdom are not capable of meeting this challenge, Education Minister Ahmed Al-Issa has said.

“If we open opportunities for training outside the Kingdom, we cannot train more than 1,000 teachers a year. So we will need 500 years to train all the male and female teachers of the country.” he said in a lighter vein. 
“Yes, we have a huge education system which includes more than 5 million male and female students and more than 600,000 employees. We have educational leadership and capable administrations, distinguished teachers and diligent employees, good infrastructure and ambitious programs for scholarships,” he said in an interview with a local newspaper. 
The minister, however, added that all this is not enough. “Does our education system satisfy the ambitions of our children who look forward to a better future? I think the answer is a big no.”
The country deserves the best education and schools, but the education system is below expectations in view of the current competitive environment, he said.
Al-Issa stressed the need to reshape the concept of schools. “School is not just about classes and semesters. It is an educational establishment that needs more discipline and seriousness to ensure that students don’t remain absent, do their homework and take part in recreational activities.” 
The minister said there is urgent need to review and redraft regulations and legislation for a better education system. 
Al-Issa said the teaching method in the Kingdom is still old fashioned, with the teacher talking most of the time and the students listening. 
“The students thus lack skills in communication and self-confidence and the ability to respond to challenges,” he said.