August 30, 2004

Jordan Times

Mighty Task
Editorial

The start of a new school year is an occasion to reflect on past experiences in our educational system and draw the necessary conclusions. This much His Majesty King Abdullah said on the first day of the 2004-2005 scholastic year for some 1.5 million students. While addressing the country's schoolchildren in a back-to-school message read out in their classes, he referred to them as the "builders of tomorrow through whom we will realise our vision for the future of Jordan." But King Abdullah also stated that the country's elementary and secondary school system still has a long way to go to meet international standards. He said everything possible should be done to develop a more progressive and flexible system of schooling for our new generations of citizens.
Minister of Education Khalid Touqan is responding affirmatively to the new challenges by starting to apply not only the flexible credit hour system instead of the existing archaic order but also putting in place a new educational curricula for secondary education that is more responsive to the needs of students and the country alike. Revamping Jordan's educational system is one of the many major reform targets that will take time.

The process is simply not a matter of introducing new textbooks or e-learning tools, it means retraining teachers. Many if not most of these teachers cling to what they know best — outdated, traditional methods that allow little if any room for creativity on the part of the student. This task is mighty. But it was hoped that it would have been simple enough to have introduced at least some basics in human rights education on a systematic basis. Teaching of religious, ethnic and racial tolerance must be made a pillar of our desired modern education system.

Developing the intellect of students to the optimum, encouraging them to think critically, and urging them to question is a basic educational goal that must be promoted and protected from encroachments by traditional educational methods. Above all, the teaching staff and administrators, as well as parents, must appreciate that the ultimate purpose of education is to cultivate enlightened citizens who can reason and contribute to the development of their country.