baseline assessment saudi

September 2008

Baseline Assessment of Education in Saudi Arabia

Copyright © 2008 by Monitor Company Group, L.P.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means — electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise — without the permission of Monitor Company Group, L.P.

This document provides an outline of a presentation and is incomplete without the accompanying oral commentary and discussion.

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AMSTERDAM

BEIJING

CAMBRIDGE

CHICAGO

DELHI

DUBAI

FRANKFURT

HONG KONG

JOHANNESBURG

LONDON

LOS ANGELES

MADRID

MANILA

MILAN

MOSCOW

MUMBAI

MUNICH

NEW YORK

PALO ALTO

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SAN FRANCISCO

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SEOUL

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Copyright © 2008 Monitor Company Group, L.P. — Confidential — 2 DES-EOU-Baseline Assessment-August 2008-RBP

Contents

I Context of the Baseline 3 Key Findings and Implications for the Economic Cities 6 Objectives for the Economic Cities 15

II Executive Summary and Contents 17 Structure of the System 19 High Investment Levels with Notable Achievements 30 A Disappointing Return on Investment 41 Growing Pains: The Shifting Economy and Youth Bulge 48 Understanding the System: Faculty, Curriculum, Pedagogy 58 Conclusion 66

III Elementary, Intermediate and Secondary Curricula in Saudi Arabia 68 The Scope of the Public Education System 73 Prevalence of Tertiary Education in Saudi Arabia 82 Workforce

88 Comparison between Private and Government Education 91 Saudi Arabia’s Performance Across a Range of Metrics 96

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The Economic Cities are intended to reach global levels of competitiveness as world-class destinations for investment and business

To improve the economy and raise the standard of living for Saudis by:   Enhancing competitiveness   Creating new jobs   Improving skill levels   Developing lesser advanced regions   Diversifying the economy

PABMEC TEC

KAEC

KEC

Eastern Province

JEC

Source: Saudi Arabia’s Economic Cities (Economic Cities Agency, 4/07); SAGIA 10x10 presentation (3/15/08)

Education and the Economic Cities

A critical part in achieving each of these goals will be the provision of world-class

education at all levels

  However, the Economic Cities do not exist in a vacuum: –  The current education system in the rest of the Kingdom

influences how students will learn in the Economic Cities   Therefore, it is imperative that we understand the current

system, its key issues, and how we can address them in the Economic Cities

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Note: Based on a 1 to 7 scale with 1 being “worst” and 7 being “best” Source: Global Competitiveness Report 2007–2008, World Economic Forum

Education and the Economic Cities Global Competitiveness of the Saudi Education System

Financial investment alone has been

insufficient in producing successful educational

outcomes

There is a clear gap in the global competitiveness of the Saudi education system

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Current State of Education in Saudi Arabia and Implications for the Economic Cities

Identify the fundamental gaps in quality, capacity, and

governance of the current education system in Saudi

Arabia

In our review of the Saudi education system, we have identified a number of pressing gaps and implications for the Economic Cities

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Key Findings and Implications for the Economic Cities

  The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has demonstrated a long term social and financial commitment to education with some impressive successes:

–  Consistently high per pupil levels of spend on education –  Free education for all (primary education through secondary education) –  Generous financial sponsorship for tertiary study –  Rapid growth in schooling and literacy

  However, a number of challenges remain: –  Significantly lower enrollment rates at all levels when compared to developed countries –  Disparity between the quality of education provided in schools and that required by employers –  Disparity between the subject matter covered by graduates entering the labor force and that

most valued by employers –  High dependence on skilled and non-skilled imported labor –  Increasing strains on educational system and labor market from a growing young population

  Moreover, the nature of education in the Kingdom will need to adapt to the changing needs of the economy in the near future:

–  The key to future prosperity lies in the development of world-class human capital, which will allow for an evolution of the economy into new, innovative, knowledge–based industries

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Mathematics * *

Education in the Economic Cities Pupils Should Meet Benchmarks in International Standardized Tests

Note: 1 Only Jordan participated in the 1999 TIMSS study, they have increased their Science score from 450 (1999) to 475 (2003) while their Math score declined from 428 (1999) to 424 (2003)

Source: Trends in International Math and Science Study (TIMSS), 1999 & 2003

In the current education system, Saudi students perform significantly below international levels in standardized assessment tests

International Averages (Math=467, Science=474)

TIMSS Scores, Selected Countries, 20031

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Education in the Economic Cities Critical Thinking Should be Placed at the Center of Pedagogy The majority of teaching in the current system is done by rote memorization, and examinations are frequently used to test ability to recall rather than ability to understand

Teaching and Assessment in Saudi Public Schools

“Even when we studied different aspects of history, math or science, we were only deemed correct if our answer corresponded exactly to the text in our schoolbook”

–  Public Sector Saudi Employee, Riyadh

“From my experience, Saudi students had phenomenal memory skills, but we had to spend most of their first year in college teaching them to think creatively”

–  Professor of Physics, UAE

“Essay questions, where students are expected to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of a subject area are not common place in Saudi public schools”

–  Private School Principal, Jeddah

Source: Education Interviews, 2008

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Note: 1Based on the Saudi curriculum for male education Source: World Education Services, 2004, www.eurydice.org

Hours of Teaching Time by Subject in The Netherlands, Sweden and Saudi Arabia, 20041

At present, Saudi students both spend less time in school and study a smaller range of subjects than their international peers

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Education in the Economic Cities Outcomes, Not Inputs, are the Measures of Success

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Scientific Research Papers per Million People, Selected Countries, 20031

Note: 1Science and Engineering Articles on Clinical medicine, Biomedical research, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth/space sciences, Engineering/ technology, Math, Psychology, Social sciences, Health sciences and Professional, WEF: World Economic Forum

Source: ‘Among the best’,28 July 2005,Nature, in-cities.com, Science and Engineering Indicators 2006 (volume 2), National Science Board

Education in the Economic Cities The Environment Should Support Novel Research Research and development activity, which is critical to a knowledge based economy, is much lower in Saudi Arabia than in more competitive economies

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Note: Pre-Primary Top Ten figure excludes Germany and Singapore. Primary enrolment data is net, other levels are gross enrolment data Source: World Bank, UNESCO, Global Competitiveness Report, 2006-2007

Enrollment Levels in Saudi Arabia, 2006

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Education in the Economic Cities All Residents of the Economic Cities Can Benefit from Education In Saudi Arabia, enrollment levels fall short of international benchmarks; this is particularly evident at the tertiary level

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* Education Humanities, Health & Welfare *

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Social Science, Business & Law

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Source: United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia

At a tertiary level, students in Saudi Arabia have a strong inclination towards studying education

Proportion of Current Students by Tertiary Subject Area, Selected Countries, 2002/031

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Education in the Economic Cities Students are Encouraged to Tackle a Range of Challenging Subjects

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Education in the Economic Cities Saudi Families Can Seek Out the Economic Cities for Education Needs The rapidly growing population of Saudi Arabia will continue to push demand onto an already overextended education system

School Aged Population, 2004 – 2025 (in millions)

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Source: Census Bureau, USA

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Education in the Economic Cities Regulations will be Accessible and Transparent Investors exhibit anxiety around investing in the Kingdom because of shifting rules and little accountability; further, for certain investors, investing in education is difficult or impossible

Regulatory and Investing Issues in Saudi Arabia

Source: Foreign School Regulation (1st Ed.) 1421; Private School Legislative Organization (1395 H / 1976 G), Investor Interviews

“At lot of the time violations of rules are ignored, we know where the lines in the sand are, but to do education properly is a risk”

–  Private School Principal, Riyadh

“We struggle with the rules, especially as they can be changed at any time. If that happens we could be out of business overnight!”

–  Private School Principal, Riyadh

Representative Regulations from Ministry of Education for Saudi Private Schools

  Curriculum must follow that laid out by MoE   One gender only (beyond kindergarten)   School must be owned by a Saudi national,

25 years of age or older –  Owner must hold equal or higher degree

than that being offered by the school

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Become a hub for innovation

Give schools the freedom to choose how best to meet standards

Deliver a world class quality of education

Offer best practice pedagogy and assessment

Aspire to provide quality education that is widely accessible

Provide opportunities in a full range of subject areas

The Economic Cities Will…

Address the increased demand for quality education

Offer a simple and transparent regulatory environment

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Executive Summary

  The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is committed to education; the Kingdom’s expenditure on education is at a level exceeding that of many developed nations

  Return on this investment has been relatively low in comparison to global counterparts, as measured by poor results in standardized academic tests and an over-reliance on imported skilled labor to support economic activity

  In the next decade, the population of Saudi Arabia is expected to grow significantly; as a result, the education system faces a huge influx of young people

  Unemployment is becoming an increasingly significant social problem: 44% of individuals aged between 20 and 24 years are currently unemployed. This percentage will increase in the future as a result of an education system that can satisfy neither labor market needs nor demographic shifts

  Education reform has been identified as an essential component in the evolution toward an innovation-based economy and a prosperous future for Saudi Arabia; ensuring that education reform focuses on three critical areas – faculty, pedagogy and curriculum – will enable widespread and sustainable improvements

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The Baseline Assessment Contents

  Structure of the System

  High Investment Levels with Notable Achievements

  A Disappointing Return on Investment

  Growing Pains: the Shifting Economy and Youth Bulge

  Understanding the System: Faculty, Curriculum, Pedagogy

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Structure of the System

  Education in Saudi Arabia is dominated by the public sector and is centrally administered by three government departments: the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Higher Education, and the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation

  Education is broadly available from the age of 6 years to 18 years. However, education is not mandatory at every level, thus a non-trivial proportion of individuals continue to fall outside of the system

  All stages of private education are supported and encouraged by the government with financial and material support for certain private schools

  However, private K-12 schools that cater to Saudi nationals are often constrained by the regulations set in place by the Ministry of Education

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Baseline Assessment Structure of the System: Government Bodies

Ministry of Education The Ministry of Education oversees the education of male and female students from pre-school until they graduate secondary school. In addition, the MOE also governs the curriculum and development of teacher training and women’s colleges at the tertiary level.

Ministry of Higher Education The Ministry of Higher Education is responsible for the public and private universities and colleges throughout the Kingdom.

Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (formerly GOTEVOT) TVTC supervises the technical and vocational programs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at both the secondary and tertiary levels. TVTC supervises three training levels: vocational training, secondary technical education, and higher technical education. In addition to public secondary and tertiary technical schools, almost 500 private institutions at both levels fall under the purview of TVTC, all of which must have their curriculum approved by TVTC.

Main Educational Providers

Ministry of Interior The Ministry of Interior oversees the education offered through Naif Arab University for Security Services and King Fahd Security College.

Ministry of Civil Service Oversees the Institute of Public Administration, funded by the Saudi government to maintain the public administration system of the country.

Ministry of Health and the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties Supervises and approves 21 public institutes and 25 intermediate health colleges and as well as the King Fahd Medical City Faculty of Medicine. The Commission also supervises 71 private health institutes.

Ministry of Defense and Aviation Administers education through military secondary schools, academies, institutes and training centers, and military medical colleges and universities.

National Commission for Academic Accreditation and Assessment Responsible for accrediting new programs and new institutions of higher education as well as periodic evaluation of the academic performance of existing higher education institutions. This includes revision of academic programs, publishing accreditation information, creating and maintaining degree level standards, and establishing benchmarks for quality during those periodic evaluations. After institutions have been granted full accreditation by the committee they will be expected to complete an evaluation once every five years.

National Centre for Assessment in Higher Education Administers standardized tests for entry to higher education institutions. Working along with the Educational Testing Services (ETS), the center administers aptitude tests for colleges, universities, and training departments, and an English Language proficiency test is being developed.

Other Educational Providers Assessment Bodies

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Copyright © 2008 Monitor Company Group, L.P. — Confidential — 21 DES-EOU-Baseline Assessment-August 2008-RBP Source: , WENR December 2001, Ministry of Education

  The first formal education system in Saudi Arabia was formed in 1952: –  Established through the active support of the late King, Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz, who placed the Ministry of

Education and Higher Council for Education as the supreme educational bodies in the Kingdom   The five levels of education in the Kingdom are comprised of:

–  Pre-school (2 years, approx. ages 4 – 6) is limited in coverage and only found in larger cities –  Primary school (6 years, approx. ages 6 – 12) is the only compulsory education in the KSA –  Intermediate school (3 years, approx. ages 12 – 15) –  Secondary education (3 years, approx. ages 15 – 18) prepares students wishing to continue their studies

at the university level or in vocational or religious studies –  Tertiary education includes further vocational training, girls’ colleges and Islamic or western style

universities   Administration of the educational system is split into four primary bodies:

–  Primary, intermediate and secondary general education for boys and girls are managed by the Ministry of Education

–  Tertiary education is managed by the Ministry of Higher Education –  Vocation training is managed by the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC) –  Traditional Islamic Studies (for boys) and religious secondary schools are administered by Imam

Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University and the Islamic University of Madinah

Baseline Assessment Structure of the System: Public Education Established formally only in the last half century, education in the KSA now involves separate primary, intermediate, secondary, vocational and tertiary institutions

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* Saudi National Guards Headquarters, Ministry of Defense and Aviation, Ministry of Interior, Royal Commission of Jubail and Yanbu, Saudi Posts Corporation, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Water and Electricity, Ministry of Labor, Presidency of Civil Aviation, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, King Khalid Eye Hospital, Ports Authority, Public Railways Corporation, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Saline Water Conversion Corporation, Saudi Arabian Basic Industries Company (SABIC), Saudi Aramco, Saudi Electricity Company (SCECO) and Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA). Source: IAU, World Higher Education Database, 8th development plan

Supporting Services

Baseline Assessment Structure of the System: Education Cluster Map (2003)

Intermediate Education   7086 schools in 2004/05   Intermediate School Certificate

University, Higher Institute   11 Universities in 2005   Girls’ Colleges   Private Colleges/Universities (70licenses

issued as of 2003, absorptive capacity of 65,000 students, i.e. 10.7% of 2004 enrolled students)

Scholarships   King AA and his Companions

Institution for the talented   Riyadh Benevolent Science

Institution   MOE Department of the gifted   KACST scientific awareness

department   King Faisal Foundation

Partnering with private sector   Cisco   SARA Holding

Government bodies, e.g.   Council of Higher

Education   Ministry of Higher

Education   Ministry of

Education

Primary Education   13163 schools in 2004/05

Cluster organizations   SAGIA education sector   Scientific Societies (47)   National Commission for

Academic Accreditation and Assessment (NCAAA)

  National Centre for Assessment in Higher Education (NCAHE)

Public Supporting Services

Core Industries

Government Private Sector Labor market

Media publishers / distributors

  Educational Software   Book Retail   Publishing

Related Industries

General Secondary Education   4215 schools in 2004/05   Tawjihiyah (General Secondary Education

Certificate)

Technical Education (Junior College)   Secondary Vocational School Diploma,

Secondary Commercial School Diploma, Secondary Agricultural School Diploma

TVTC   Technological Colleges (39,500 students in

2004)   Vocational Secondary Institutes (23,700

students, 6.5% of tech. education graduates in 2004)

R&D centers (175 total, spend 0.3% of GDP in 2002)   57 University Research Centers (1,631

research projects past 4y ) –  Focus on medical and health

science, agriculture (incl. water), engineering, basic sciences

  46 Government Research Centers (2,119 research projects past 4y)

–  Focus on medicine, engineering, agriculture, humanities

  7 KACST (429 studies during past 5y)   65 Private Sector Research Centers

–  spend 0.4-1.7% of total investment in R&D

  ARAMCO   SABIC   Maad’in Company

Libraries, databases

  80 public libraries   183 specialized

libraries   59 academy and

university libraries

General Education Public (92.5% of students) Private (7.5% of students)

Pre-primary Education   1244 kindergardens in 2002/03

Teachers’ Colleges

The Human Resources Development Fund

Private Sector Training   70800 enrolled students in 2004

Inst. of Public Administration

TVTC   Vocational Training (13,500

trainees, 27% of applicants in 2004)   Other Training programs (ca. 11,000

trainees)

Other Government Agencies*

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Baseline Assessment Structure of the System: Government Education

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Subjects taught: Religion, Arabic, Social Studies: Geography and History, Mathematics, Science &

Health Ed., Arts & Crafts, Physical Ed.

Subjects taught: Religion, Arabic, English, Geography,

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Ed., Physical Ed.

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Note: 1The above information on compulsory education in Saudi Arabia has been added based on the information reported in a report by the MoHE Source: Earth Trends Country profile. Monitor Libya Example, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Educational System, Peggy Bell Hendrickson (University of North

Texas) – February 2007; Education Encyclopedia – State University.com; World Education Services; Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission – Ministry of Higher Education, 2006; State University; WENR December 2001

  Pre Primary: –  Duration: 2 years (ages 4-6) –  Curriculum: Pre-primary or Kindergarten schools generally emphasize social behavior, hygiene, and play activities –  In Saudi Arabia, kindergarten education is available although it is not compulsory –  Pre-primary schools are generally co-educational –  Pre-primary enrolment is only 8%

  Primary: –  Duration: 6 years (ages 6-12) –  Curriculum: base education in language, history, mathematics, Islamic studies, geography and home economics (girls) or

physical education (boys) –  Schools are segregated on the basis of gender –  Only Primary education is compulsory in Saudi Arabia –  In primary education, the school year consists of 2 semesters, each semester having classes for 5 weeks and a 2 week

examination period –  Qualification: Shahadat Al Madaaris Al Ibtidaa'iyyah (Primary Certificate)

  Intermediate School: –  Duration: 3 years (ages 12 to 15) –  General Curriculum: Arabic, art education, English, geography, history, mathematics, religious studies, science and home

economics (girls) or physical education (boys) –  Leaving Certificate: Shahadat Al-Kafa'at Al-Mutawassita (Intermediate School Certificate)

Baseline Assessment Structure of the System: Pre-Primary through Intermediate Education

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Source: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Educational System, Peggy Bell Hendrickson (University of North Texas) – February 2007; Education Encyclopedia – State University.com; World Education Services; Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission – Ministry of Higher Education, 2006; State University, WENR December 2001

  General Secondary School: –  Duration: 3 years (age of 15 to 18) –  Compulsory Subjects: During the first year, students share a common curriculum, and in the final two years are divided into

scientific and literary streams. Students scoring 60 percent in all first-year subjects may choose between the two streams, those who score under 60 percent must opt for the literary stream

–  General Curriculum: Arabic, biology, chemistry, English, geography, history, mathematics, religious studies and home economics (girls) or physical education (boys)

–  Qualification: Shahadat Al-Marhalat Al-Thanawiyyat

  Religious Secondary School: –  Duration: 3 years (age of 15 to 18) –  Curriculum: Arabic language and literature, English, general culture, geography, history and religious studies –  Qualification: Shahadat Al Thanawiyyah Al 'Aama lil Ma'aahid Al Ilmiyya. Graduates are admitted to university in the humanities

and social sciences only

  Technical Secondary School: –  Duration: 3 years (age of 15 to 18) –  Curriculum: vocation specific –  There are three types of technical education offered at the secondary level: vocational/technical, commercial and agricultural.

Admission to a technical school requires the Shahadat Al-Kafa'at Al-Mutawassita (Intermediate School Certificate). –  All technical and vocational training comes under the authority of the TVTC –  Qualification: Technical: Diplom Al Madaaris Al Thanawiyyah Al Mihaniyyah, Commercial: Diplom Al Madaaris Al Tijaariyyah,

Agricultural: Diploma Al Madaaris Al Ziraa'iyyah

Baseline Assessment Structure of the System: Secondary Education

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Source: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Educational System, Peggy Bell Hendrickson (University of North Texas) – February 2007; Education Encyclopedia – State University.com; World Education Services; Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission – Ministry of Higher Education, 2006; State University, WENR December 2001

  Tertiary Higher Level Education: –  Duration: programs for humanities and social sciences last 4 years while medicine, engineering and pharmacy programs can

be for as many as 6 years –  Curriculum: Universities in Saudi Arabia offer two types of education: traditional Islamic and liberal-oriented. The Islamic

University of Madinahh and Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University focus on Islamic law, Quranic studies, Arabic language and social sciences

–  Higher education is provided by seven public universities, 50 women's colleges, and 17 teacher-training colleges   6 of the 7 universities operate under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Higher Education. The seventh, the Islamic University

of Madinahh, is administered by the Council of Ministers –  Access to institutions of higher education is based on the results of the General Secondary Education Certificate Examination –  The seven major public universities (with the exception of King Fahd University for Oil and Minerals and the Islamic University)

accept entry for both men and women, and all allow foreign students to study alongside Saudis

  Higher Level Vocational Training: –  Duration: 1 to 3 years –  Curriculum: Vocationally specific –  Institutions of higher education below the level of the bachelor’s degree include 34 colleges for the health-related professions,

20 women's junior colleges, 3 community colleges, 12 technical colleges, 2 industrial arts colleges and one institute of public administration . There are also a number of military and security colleges

–  These institutions mostly come under the authority of the TVTC –  Admission to any of these schools requires the General Secondary Education Certificate (sciences stream), the Secondary

Vocational School Diploma or the Secondary Commercial School Diploma

Baseline Assessment Structure of the System: Tertiary Education

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Ministry of Education

91.5%

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  In Saudi Arabia, private education is encouraged by the government and is supported by public funding and administrative support:

–  In March 2006, the Saudi government approved the first two private universities and has been encouraging further participation from the private sector

–  In October 2005, preliminary licenses were issued to 60 additional providers to enable them to set up private colleges across the country

  In order to encourage private sector participation in the education of Saudi citizens, a series of financial incentives have been provided by the government:

–  Free textbooks to private schools –  An annual financial aid allocation to each private school –  Appointment of a qualified director in each private school who is

compensated by the State –  Funding of private school students healthcare costs

  Scholarship programs are available for students to study in Saudi Arabia. Most of these scholarship programs provide benefits such as:

–  Coverage of expenses for tuition, room and board, transportation and additional stipends for spouses and children

Source: Ministry of Education, UNESCO, Ame Info, ‘The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Educational System’, February 2007, ‘Microsoft Arabia signs MOU to bring partners in learning initiative to Saudi Arabia’, Sep 2004, Ame Info, ‘Toward a national education development paradigm in the Arab world: a comparative study of Saudi Arabia and Qatar’, 2006, Sarah Yamini

Despite the encouragement for private institutions, the vast majority of the overall student population at K-12 is educated in the public sector

Baseline Assessment Structure of the System: Public vs. Private

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Administrative Region

Male Education Female Education

Elementary Intermediate High School Elementary Intermediate High School

Schools Students Schools Students Schools Students Schools Students Schools Students Schools Students

Riyadh 134 41,636 108 15,181 77 21,347 186 27,601 109 9,978 83 15,994

Makkah 118 29,431 98 10,867 65 14,170 171 26,043 93 6,368 63 7,513

Al-Madinah 16 4,450 13 1,380 8 1,581 26 2,593 17 860 13 2,294

Al-Qaseem 12 1,130 11 419 11 1,935 14 868 11 350 12 2,063

Eastern Region 70 16,965 54 566 38 7,318 66 8,496 37 2,440 26 4,311

Aseer 11 1,856 9 531 8 1,077 15 849 11 280 7 783

Tabouk 10 3,062 7 720 5 1,408 9 1,180 6 316 6 1,069

Hail 5 1,457 2 601 2 726 3 374 2 153 2 462

Northern Region 4 656 4 116 0 0 1 45 0 0 0 0

Jazan 1 126 1 53 1 198 1 69 1 19 1 302

Najran 3 252 1 26 1 192 0 0 0 0 0 0

Al-Baha 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Al-jouf 9 1,761 5 340 4 367 6 287 2 62 1 67

Total 393 102,782 313 30,800 220 50,319 498 68,405 289 20,826 214 34,858

Source: CDSI – Services Survey in the Kingdom (Manual #13) 2005

Baseline Assessment Structure of the System: Private Education The private education sector accommodates 7% of all K-12 students in the Kingdom

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Baseline Assessment Structure of the System: Public vs. Private Education

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High Investment Levels with Notable Achievements

  The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has demonstrated a long term financial commitment to Education: –  Spend on education consistently remains a substantial percentage of GDP –  Currently spending per pupil in KSA is more than many developed

countries

  This financial commitment has been invested in the development of an impressive educational infrastructure

  Additionally, several important milestones have been reached: –  The literacy rate has risen from 33% to 83% during the last 30 years

  However, illiteracy remains high, with ~ 17% of the population classed as illiterate, compared to an average of 2.2% across WEF Top 10 Countries

–  Access to education at all levels has increased as enrollment levels have risen rapidly, however enrollment across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels is much lower than that observed in developed countries

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Source: UNESCO Statistics; World Bank Education Statistics; Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency

Public Expenditure

on Education

(SAR Bn)

1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004

Baseline Assessment High Investment Levels with Notable Achievements

Public Expenditure

on Education as a % of GDP

Saudi Arabia has made a strong financial commitment to education during the last 40 years

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Switzerland Sweden Finland Japan Netherlands Source: Global Competitiveness Report 2007–2008, World Economic Forum

This financial commitment seems set to continue as the country recently invested a substantial proportion of gross national income in education


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Copyright © 2008 Monitor Company Group, L.P. — Confidential — 34 DES-EOU-Baseline Assessment-August 2008-RBP Source: Education at a Glance 2007, OECD; EconStats; Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency; NCC Analysis

United States

Norway Sweden Belgium France Finland United Kingdom

Spain Poland

Switzerland

Denmark Japan Netherlands Germany Italy Saudi Arabia

Portugal Mexico

* *

*

*

* * * * * * * *

*

*

*

* * Top 10 Average $9,094

Education Expenditure (USD PPP)


The adjusted level of spending per student places Saudi Arabia among the top education spenders in the world

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* *

CAGR 1970-2005

8.53%

4.40%

* *

CAGR 1970-2005

18.19%

8.84%

Source: Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency, Saudi Arabia

In the last 40 years the continuous investment of the government has provided an extensive network of schools…

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Note: 1Primary School: Duration 6 Years (Age 6-12); 2Intermediary Education: Three Years (Ages 12-15); 3Secondary Education: Duration 3 years (Age 15-18) Source: Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency

* * *

1

2

3 7.5 %

10.2 %

15.5

CAGR 1970-2005

…and recruited a substantial number of K-12 teachers

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This spending has led to substantive gains in levels of enrollment throughout the Kingdom, as well as gender parity in access to education*

Note: 1Primary Education: Duration 6 Years (Age 6-12); 2Secondary Education: Duration 3 years (Age 15-18); 3Higher Education involves Diploma & Degree courses . * Female enrollment is significantly higher at tertiary level

Source: Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency

* * * * * * * *

* *

* *

‘000

‘000

‘000

CAGR 1970-2005

4.4%

6.7% 13.3%

CAGR 1996-2005

8.2%

10.7%

CAGR 1970-2005

17.7%

* *


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Copyright © 2008 Monitor Company Group, L.P. — Confidential — 38 DES-EOU-Baseline Assessment-August 2008-RBP Source: The World Bank Group

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

% o

f stu

dent

s in

terti

ary

educ

atio

n

Further, Saudi Arabia’s tertiary enrollment rate has shown a significant improvement by almost 10% over the last 8 years

  The proportion of Saudi Arabian students enrolling in tertiary education between 1998 and 2006 rose by 9.2% –  The period of 2002 – 2006

marked the greatest growth in enrollment in Saudi Arabia (6.9%)

  The majority of Middle Eastern countries experienced increasing tertiary enrollment rates between 1998 and 2006

  However, these enrollment figures are relatively low when compared to highly developed countries –  In 2006, the Netherlands

had tertiary enrollment rates of 59% and in the US this figure was 82.2%


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Note: 1Literacy rate, adult (% of people 15+) is the percentage of people (total, male, female) ages 15 and older who can, with understanding, both read and write a short, simple statement about their everyday life out of the whole population (total, male, female) ages 15 and older

Source: World Bank Education Stats

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

* * *

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

2.7%

CAGR 1970-2004

1.7%

4.6%

Educational attainment by the general population shows significant improvements and continues to grow


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Copyright © 2008 Monitor Company Group, L.P. — Confidential — 40 DES-EOU-Baseline Assessment-August 2008-RBP Source: Regional Census 2004

Riyadh Eastern Province

Hail

Asir

Makah

Tabuk

Madinah

Najran

Al Jowf

Al Qaseem

Northern Borders

Jizan

Al Baha

Less than 15%

≥ 15% to < 20%

≥ 25%

≥ 20% to < 25%

Adult Illiteracy

Level

However, there exist marked regional gaps in attainment


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A Disappointing Return on Investment

  Though spending per student is on par with the spending of more developed countries, the performance of the education system in the Kingdom lags behind these counterparts at all levels

  K-12 math and science education is in need of substantial improvement, with Saudi Arabia ranking 42nd (of 49 countries) in the TIMSS performance survey

  In Saudi Arabia, the average scores in post-tertiary level standardized tests such as TOEFL and the GMAT fell short of the regional median values and performance was poor when compared to the global standard

  Further, indicators of innovation such as the publication of peer-reviewed research papers or the number of registered patents are much lower than the levels achieved in other countries

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Baseline Assessment A Disappointing Return on Investment: Intermediate Education

Note: 1 Only Jordan participated in the 1999 TIMSS study, they have increased their Science score from 450 (1999) to 475 (2003) while their Math score declined from 428 (1999) to 424 (2003)

Source: Trends in International Math and Science Study (TIMSS), 1999 & 2003

* *

*

*

*

Mathematics

*

* *

*

* *

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Jordan

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Mea

n TI

MS

S S

core

s

  Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is an international assessment of the math and science knowledge of eighth-grade students around the world

  Saudi Arabia scored below international averages, and significantly below countries such as the USA and the Netherlands

  Lower scores might be attributed to the shorter school year, the teaching method (rote learning) and the curriculum design (lower proportion of time spent on math and science)

Despite large investments in education, the quality of basic education, particularly in math and science, is below international averages

International Averages (Math=467, Science=474)

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*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

* *

*

*

* * *

*

*

*

*

avg. ME2

*

Singa-pore

*

Netherl. *

*

*

avg. ME

*

*

*

* *

*

Netherl. *

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Mea

n G

MAT

Sco

re M

ean

TOE

FL

Tes

t S

core

Baseline Assessment A Disappointing Return on Investment: Tertiary Education

Note: 1 GMAT scores are from citizens of the countries mentioned; 2TOEFL weighted average calculated using country populations; Equals a score of 250 on the TOEFL computer-based exam

Source: www.gmac.com

Weakness in the education system is reflected in average GMAT and TOEFL results which are substantially below international standards…

  The average Saudi Arabian GMAT score falls short of the median values

– This can be traced to the fact that the overall quality of universities in KSA is substantially below international standards

  The average TOEFL score is significantly below the minimum entry requirement for English based education courses

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Top Ranked Universities in the KSA

GCC Rank

World Rank

KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM & MINERALS 1 1,128

KING ABDULAZIZ UNIVERSITY 23 3,108 KING SAUD UNIVERSITY 26 3,259 KING FAISAL UNIVERSITY 36 3,906 UMM AL-QURA UNIVERSITY 44 4,225 ARAB OPEN UNIVERSITY SAUDI ARABIA 57 5,229

ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY OF AL MADINAH 59 5,244

IMAM MUHAMMAD BIN SAUD UNIVERSITY 69 5,709

COLLEGE OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCES 70 5,858

KING KHALID UNIVERSITY 81 6,170

  The highest ranked University in Saudi Arabia falls outside of the top 1000 universities in the world   Saudi Arabia’s graduate programs also lag behind international counterparts – for example, no Saudi

business school is in the Time Top 100 Global Business Schools

Source: Webometrics Ranking of World Universities, Times Higher Education Supplement

* *

* * *

*

* *

*

*

*

* * *

*

* *

*

*

*

* *

* *

*

* *

*

*

*

*

*

* *

*

*

Baseline Assessment A Disappointing Return on Investment: Tertiary Education Saudi Arabian institutions seem to lag behind their international counterparts

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Copyright © 2008 Monitor Company Group, L.P. — Confidential — 46 DES-EOU-Baseline Assessment-August 2008-RBP Source: Source: Global Competitiveness Report 2007–2008, World Economic Forum

*

300

*

*

* * * * * * *

*

*

*

*

Innovation, as measured by patents granted in the United States, is also clearly lagging behind in the Kingdom

Baseline Assessment A Disappointing Return on Investment: Graduate Performance

Num

ber o

f Pat

ents

Gra

nted

per

M

illio

n P

eopl

e

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Copyright © 2008 Monitor Company Group, L.P. — Confidential — 47 DES-EOU-Baseline Assessment-August 2008-RBP Source: Global Competitiveness Report 2007–2008, World Economic Forum

Baseline Assessment A Disappointing Return on Investment: Global Benchmarks

Financial investment alone has been

insufficient to bring successful

educational outcomes

In sum, across most dimensions of the education system, Saudi Arabia falls below top ten countries in the WEF and IMD ranking system

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Growing Pains: the Shifting Economy and Youth Bulge

  The outcomes of the educational system do not match the needs of the economy and Saudi Arabia remains dependent on imported labor for the majority of its economic activity

  The highest level of Saudi engagement in the workforce is in the teaching profession, reinforcing a downward spiral in the quality of educational outcomes

  Additionally, the country is experiencing a significant youth bulge, with the population growing at a rapid rate and large numbers of young people entering the workforce

  If the ambitious goals of the 8th developmental plan are met, there will still be a numerical shortfall of skilled labor for many years to come and given the low quality of output from the current system, it is unlikely that these people will be adequately qualified to fill the jobs that are presumed theirs

  As such, a critical component of the reform agenda should include the potential to up-skill those lacking the skills and ability to compete in the current economic climate

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In addition to the fact that investment is not creating meaningful educational outcomes, the education system faces two considerable and immediate challenges

 The transition of Saudi Arabia from an oil driven economy to an innovation driven economy will demand an altered skill set of the population

 Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning population will continue to place great strain on the education system

Baseline Assessment Growing Pains: the Shifting Economy and Youth Bulge

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* * *

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Electricity, gas and water

Saudi Arabia’s economy is dependent on imported labor – preparing the next generation to fill these labor gaps is critical to reducing this dependence

Note: 1Scientific, technical and human specialists in private sector Source: Saudi Arabia Monitoring Agency (SAMA); Central Department of Statistics, Saudi Arabia

* *1 * *

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

* *

Baseline Assessment Growing Pains: Labor Market Suitability

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*

* *

* *

*

*

Baseline Assessment Growing Pains: Investment in Corporate Training However, many companies in the Middle East invest substantially in corporate training to up-skill the indigenous workforce

*

*

*

*

*

* *

*

*

*

* Trai

ning

bud

get a

s a

% o

f tot

al

oper

atin

g co

sts

  The majority of organizations (56%) allocate 1% - 3% of the total operating costs to their training budgets

  29% of organizations spend less than 1% of their total operating costs on training

  Total training costs incurred by companies as a percentage of their operating costs range from 0.1% to 15%1

  72% of the organizations in the Middle East have started to increase their training budgets

  Potential drivers of this trend include: –  Recruitment of new employees –  Investment in people as part of

corporate culture –  A need to train local nationals –  Skill enhancement for new

technologies –  Market growth

Note: 1 Weighted average training budget as % of operating cost approximately 2% across all organizations within the Middle East Source: Human Resources Survey Middle East Report – 2005, Ernst & Young

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Note: Female workforce growth rate at increase from 5%-15% over 20 years, skilled labor of females taken at same percentage (21%) of male skilled labor; Gap not including percentage of women entering through University graduation; Gap based on benchmark levels of skilled labor; Skilled workforce includes: Managers, Legislators, and Professionals, technicians and associate professionals as defined by ILO Source: 8th Development Plan, Saudi Arabia Long-Term Strategy 2025, ILO Workforce Statistics, World Bank GDP, UNESCO

*

*

*

* *

*

*

*

0,126 0,166

0,218

0,287

Skilled Labor Needs Skilled Labor Projections Skilled Female Labor additions Anticipated Gap

0,656

0,818

1,178

1,866

Baseline Assessment Growing Pains: Labor Market Suitability Even if the goals of the 8th developmental plan are achieved there will still be a significant shortfall of skilled labor in Saudi Arabia

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m people

* Assuming an unemployment rate of 7% for 2004 ** Based on demographic structure as of 2004, assuming 3.3% annual Saudi employment Growth Source: Ministry of Economy and Planning: website and 8th development plan

8.7

15

6

Potential gap

Assuming 3.3% annual growth

80+ 75-79 70-74 60-64 55-59 50-54 45-49 40-44 35-39 30-34 25-29 20-24 15-19 10-14

5-9 0-4

Baseline Assessment Growing Pains: Impending Youth Bulge A rapidly growing young population compounds the need for an education system that has the capacity to generate a highly skilled and employable workforce

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Unemployed Females

Unemployed Males

* * * * * * *

*

27% of Total

Unemployment

24% of Total

Unemployment

Males educated to the secondary level and females holding bachelor degrees account for more than 50% of unemployment in the Kingdom – 44% of unemployed are aged between 20 and 24

Source: KSA Ministry of Economy and Planning – Social Statistics Labour Force Survey 1428H/2007G

Baseline Assessment Growing Pains: Unemployment

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6.2 7.7 8.1

2.4 2.9 3.6

2.5 2.8 3.3

11.1 12.4 15.0

The currently low student-teacher ratio is under threat from the huge numbers of students set to enter the system in the coming years

* * *

Intermediate CAGR: (1.53)%

Number of Students per

Teacher

It looks like the reversal of this trend has already started

Source: Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency; Student Teacher Ratio – Calculated using the number of students and number of teachers in General Education at all levels – using the data reported in the Saudi Arabia Monetary Agency

Baseline Assessment Growing Pains: Impact of the Bulge

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  In early 2007 a $2.4 billion project was launched focusing on improving the educational environment

  The curriculum of secondary schools is being streamlined to focus on mathematics, science and computer education

Baseline Assessment Growing Pains: Education Agenda and Initiatives in Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia has realized the importance of improving the suitability of education and has launched a number of initiatives targeted at the education sector

Improve curriculum suitability

Introduce standardized testing

Improve teaching quality

Improve administration of schools

Enhance competitive landscape for private education

Promote demand for technical subjects

Upgrade quality of tertiary instruction

Improve awareness of benefits of education

Develop a structured and innovative education strategy

Understand low levels of enrollment

  $104 million has been allocated to education in the kingdom's latest budget along with recently increased funding for overseas study

  In 2006-07 plans for 7 new universities were announced   In 2005 licenses were issued to approximately 60 additional

investors to establish private colleges

  In 2006, it was announced that foreign universities would be allowed to set up in the KSA

  There is on-going collaboration with other countries to provide study abroad opportunities

  A 25-year strategy to develop a higher education system relevant to KSA job market requirements is currently underway

Source: Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency, ‘Education System Undergoing Major Overhaul’ - April 2007, Arab News, ‘The Development of Education’ - September 2001, The International Bureau of Education, www.ameinfo.com, The Competitiveness Review: “The Education Sector in Saudi Arabia”, National Competitiveness Center (NCC)

Current Initiatives Additional Recommendations

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Understanding the System: Faculty, Curriculum, Pedagogy

  Saudi nationals make up 91% of the teacher workforce; these nationals are products of the Saudi education system that frequently produces poor outputs, and focuses the pedagogical style on rote learning

  The emphasis on memorization and recollection of facts may lead to the widespread disengagement of students from the educational process; these students may graduate disinterested and under-qualified

  Saudi students spend much less time in lessons and more time in assessment than their overseas counterparts: –  While the time devoted to subjects like math and science is comparable to

other countries, the outcomes in these subject areas are poor and may be attributed to low quality instruction

  The absence of creative arts in the curriculum limits the opportunity to utilize and develop the natural curiosity of a young mind

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1 Faculty: Who is teaching?

2 Curriculum: What is being taught?

3 Pedagogy: What strategies of instruction are used ?

Baseline Assessment Understanding the System: The Essence of Education Though there are a number of components that can improve an education system, the essence of education – what should be focused on for core improvements – are threefold:

  A range of additional factors influence educational outcomes but are secondary to the three essential elements, e.g.;

  Develop novel solutions to complex challenges

  Advance current understanding

  Gain critical thinking skills

  Develop resourcefulness

  Form ideas and opinions

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The vast majority (91%) of teachers in Saudi Arabia are products of the Saudi Education system

Baseline Assessment Understanding the System: Faculty

  In order to teach at the primary school level, teachers complete a two-year junior college training program and earn a diploma:

–  Depending on their grades, the diploma program may be considered for transfer credits towards a Bachelor degree at a university.

–  Teacher training institutes are being phased out in favor of these junior colleges to encourage teachers to continue their education at a later time to earn a university degree.

–  After women have completed a junior college training program and earned the diploma, they are eligible to teach in female intermediate schools.

  Men teaching at the secondary school level must complete a Bachelor of Education or a non- Education Bachelor plus a one-year Higher Diploma in Education:

–  Higher Diploma programs focus either on preparing new graduates to teach at the secondary level or on training current teachers for administrative management positions in secondary schools.

–  Colleges of Education provide four-year degrees in education, and those graduates can teach in secondary schools

  Teacher education can take place in teacher training institutes, junior colleges, colleges of education, and universities. –  Teacher education reinforces the separation of men and women by varying the educational requirements for

teaching

  Higher education teachers are taught in university education programs, such as King Abdul Aziz University’s Center for Teacher Training and Learning Development

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Source: ‘Development of Education’ Report, Sep 2004, MoE, MoHE and GOTEVOT; ‘Toward a National Education Development Paradigm in the Arab World’, 2006, Sarah Yamani; ‘Religious teaching on the rise?’, Jun 2003, UNESCO; Saudi Gazette; Teach Kids Peace; Company Representative, DPS Riyadh

  Education in Saudi Arabia is based on the themes of Islam: –  The curriculum accordingly lays emphasis on the spread of Islam

and educating students in “the spirit of Islamic struggle” –  Some of the principles of Islam such as “spirit of striving will remain

in force until the Day of Judgment” is taught through history –  According to an article by UNESCO, KSA spends 31% (1,458

hours) of the total intended time for academic instruction during the first six years of the education on religious education   This is three times more than in other countries

–  With regards the control of the curriculum, the Saudi government has complete authority over all the educational material

  The government is responsible for the supervision over all the books that come to the country from abroad or go out of the Kingdom to the outside world. These books are checked for any content that may be inconsistent with Islam, the intellectual trends and the educational objectives of the government

  The curriculum differs significantly between international and domestic schools –  E.g., Instruction in International schools occurs in English, and

Arabic is only taught as a foreign language

  The curriculum of Saudi Arabia has been undergoing some changes in the recent past with the objective of upgrading and modernizing in line with international standards. Some of these changes are listed below: –  Foreign syllabi: The MoE allowed syllabi in private education to

diverge from the one prescribed by the Ministry itself   In this regard, private schools will now be open to teach a

foreign syllabus (international subjects and programs) as long as it complies with the Saudi education policy

–  Content revision: The government of Saudi Arabia has made efforts to revise its text books for any content that is inconsistent with the needs of modern education

–  English language: As reported in 2006, in an effort to enhance the English skills amongst Saudis, English classes were introduced from the sixth grade:   The above initiative was also complemented by various

teacher training programs in order to have sufficient number of English teachers

  In an effort to further enhance the English schools, in August 2007, MoE announced its plans to introduce English to fourth grades classes. To start with, 8 primary schools will be involved in a pilot program

The public school curriculum is in the process of revision

Baseline Assessment Understanding the System: Curriculum

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Note: 1Based on the Saudi curriculum for male education Source: World Education Services, 2004, www.eurydice.org

  A secondary school student in Saudi Arabia spends 15% less time in the classroom each year (approximately 150 fewer hours) compared to a student in an average Top 10 Country

  The percentage time dedicated to economical ‘valuable’ subjects, such as math and science, is comparable across the three countries surveyed

In secondary education there is a significant disconnect between Saudi Arabia and global benchmarks with regards to the breakdown of teaching time by subject

* * * Hours *

* * * * * * Hours *

* * * * * *

*

* Hours *

*

*

* * * *

*

* * * *

*

Baseline Assessment Understanding the System: Secondary Curriculum Benchmark

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*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

* *

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Nether-lands

* Education

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Humanities, Health & Welfare * Social Science, Business & Law

*

Source: United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia

Total # of students 19,883 1,552,622 153,333 17,828 144,050 22,767 7,826 525,344 18,638 15,927,987 526,767

% o

f stu

dent

s st

udyi

ng

indi

cate

d su

bjec

t are

a

And at a tertiary level, students choose or are required to study predominantly within the humanities

Baseline Assessment Understanding the System: Tertiary Focus

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Baseline Assessment Understanding the System: A Pedagogical Focus on Rote Learning

Global Best Practices   Countries with high performing education systems share some pedagogical approaches in

primary and secondary schools, predominantly: –  Inquiry-based learning, with a strong preference for skills acquisition over rote

memorization –  Student-centered education, with an emphasis on individualized instruction –  Multiple-chance learning, allowing students to continue to pursue their education –  Strong emphasis on technology, science, and foreign languages

Saudi Arabia   The predominant pedagogical approach in Saudi Arabia

emphasizes memorization and standardization in learning and assessment: –  Students are taught directly from books while practical

work sessions are rarely used –  Critical thinking and questioning are not frequently

encouraged

In Saudi Arabia, education is dominated by the need for rote memorization and accurate recall of facts

Source: Monitor Analysis, Interviews with education experts

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Conclusion

  Despite a range of achievements, such as increased enrollment and literacy levels among the population, Saudi Arabia has a long way to go within the educational space

  The twin challenges of coping with the transition to a knowledge based economy and dealing with a burgeoning youth population are considerable, but represent a singular opportunity to position Saudi Arabia as a world leading economy during the next century

  Leveraging the Kingdom’s considerable oil wealth to develop world beating human capital is the key to future social and economic prosperity; this will allow for: –  Putting jobs traditionally filled by expatriates into the hands of Saudis –  Creating new and innovative industries in the future to tackle high levels of

unemployment

  Done correctly, educational reform will bolster the unique moral and cultural aspects of Saudi Arabia while acting as an example of best practice for the rest of the world

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Contents





Elementary, Intermediate and Secondary Curricula in Saudi Arabia

Confidential


AGE OF ADMISSION

Age 6

LENGTH

Six years

PROGRAM OF STUDY

Curriculum for elementary education for boys.

Physical education is replaced by coursework in women’s and art education

Subject Number of weekly periods per grade*

I II III IV V VI

Religious Education 9 9 9 9 9 9

Arabic language 11 9 9 9 8 8

Social Studies: Geography and History - - - 2 2 2

Mathematics 3 4 4 5 5 5

Science and Health Education 1 2 2 2 3 3

Arts and Crafts 1 2 2 1 1 1

Physical Education 3 2 2 2 2 2

Total weekly periods 28 28 28 30 30 30

ASSESSMENT AND PROMOTION

Students are promoted from one grade to the next and the pass examinations are offered at the end of each one of the semesters. Students who pass the examination at the end of grade VI are awarded the Elementary

Education Certificate, which qualifies the student for study at the intermediate level.

At the elementary level, the Saudi curriculum is focused on religion and Arabic language

Note: ”Number of weekly periods per grade" refers to the weekly teaching hours per subject per year. A period means an hour of instruction time in a subject. Source: World Education Services

Supporting Materials Saudi Elementary Curriculum

Confidential


Religious education 8 8 8 Arabic language 6 6 6 History 2 2 2 Geography 2 2 2 Sciences and Health education 4 4 4 Mathematics 4 4 4 English language 4 4 4 Art education 2 2 2 National education 1 1 1 Physical education 1 1 1 Total weekly periods 34 34 34

AGE OF ADMISSION

Age 12

LENGTH

Three years

PROGRAM OF STUDY

Curriculum for Lower Secondary Education for boys.

For females, physical education is replaced by coursework in women’s and art education

ASSESSMENT AND PROMOTION

The system of examinations is similar to those offered at the elementary level; examinations are given at the end of each semester of study.

Intermediate education is offered in day and evening programs to accommodate those who cannot attend normal daytime classes because of jobs or other factors


Supporting Materials Saudi Intermediate Curriculum

Confidential


Religious education 5 12 12

Arabic language and literature 6 9 9

Social sciences 2 3 3

Natural sciences 6 - -

Mathematics 5 - -

English language 4 4 4

Computer 2 2 2

Library and research 1 1 1

National education 1 1 1

Physical education 1 1 1

Activities 1 1 1

Total weekly periods 34 34 34

Religious education 5 6 6 Arabic language and literature 6 4 4 Social sciences 2 5 4 Administrative sciences - 5 6 Mathematics 6 4 4 English language 4 4 4 Computer 2 2 2 Library and research 1 1 1 National education 1 1 1 Physical education 1 1 1 Activities 1 1 1 Total weekly periods 34 34 34

At the secondary level, students have a choice as to what type of institution they attend: comprehensive, vocational, or industrial

AGE OF ADMISSION

Age 15

LENGTH

Three years


Supporting Materials Saudi Secondary Curriculum (1/2)

Confidential


Religious education 5 5 5 Arabic language and literature 6 3 3 Social sciences 2 - - Natural sciences 6 13 13 Mathematics 5 6 6 English language 4 4 4 Computer 2 2 2 Library and research 1 - - National education 1 1 1 Physical education 1 1 1 Activities 1 1 1 Total weekly periods 34 36 36

Religious education 5 5 5 Arabic language and literature 6 3 3 Social sciences 2 - - Natural sciences 6 6 6 Technical sciences - 8 8 Mathematics 5 5 5 English language 4 4 4 Computer 2 2 1 Library and research 1 - - National education 1 1 1 Physical education 1 1 1 Activities 1 - - Total weekly periods 34 35 34

Health institutes and nursing schools are also part of the secondary school system; however, female students are limited in the choices available


ASSESSMENT AND PROMOTION At the end of the third year of study, students sit for the national general secondary examination and receive the

General Secondary Education Certificate. Students (males only) who have completed their education in religious secondary programs receive the Religious Institute Secondary Education Certificate.

Supporting Materials Saudi Secondary Curriculum (2/2)

The Scope of the Public Education System

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Riyadh 2,332,726 3,122,637 5,455,363 404,240 1,550,525 3,521 2,660 6,196

Makkah 2,579,946 3,218,025 5,797,971 153,128 1,900,045 3,026 2,532 5,558

Madinah 700,342 811,734 1,512,076 151,990 490,359 1,017 955 1,972

Qassim 451,757 564,999 1,016,756 58,046 366,782 1,248 912 2,160

Eastern Province 1,448,714 1,911,443 3,360,157 672,522 1,033,811 1,610 1,518 3,143

Asir 791,969 896,399 1,688,368 76,693 617,106 1,629 1,743 3,372

Tabuk 311,550 379,967 691,517 146,072 214,502 411 429 840

Hail 248,953 278,080 527,033 103,887 191,178 537 580 1,116

Northern Border 129,664 149,622 279,286 111,797 100,898 176 180 356

Jizan 573,106 613,033 1,186,139 11,671 441,154 1,021 1,029 2,050

Najran 194,510 224,947 419,457 149,511 150,213 321 329 650

Al-Baha 186,525 191,214 377,739 9,921 178,073 535 479 1,014

Al-Jowf 166,516 195,160 361,676 100,212 131,322 319 307 626

TOTAL 10,116,278 12,557,260 22,673,538 2,149,690 7,365,968 15,371 13,653 29,053

The largest regions of the Kingdom are the most densely populated in terms of school age population and are covered with the maximum number of schools

Note: 1Includes children in the age-group of 5–19 Source: Central Department of Statistics, Saudi Arabia; City-Population - Thomas Brinkhoff; Ministry of Education

Supporting Materials Number of Schools by Region

Confidential


* * *

* * * Source: Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency

Supporting Materials Expanding Capacity of Saudi Arabia’s Education System (1970–2005)

Total Number of Primary Schools, 1970–2005

Total Number of Secondary Schools, 1970–2005

* * *

Total Number of Primary School Teachers, 1970–2005

Number of

Primary School

Teachers (’000s)

* * *

Total Number of Secondary School Teachers, 1970–2005

Number of Secondary

School Teachers

(’000s)

Number of

Primary Schools (’000s)

Number of Secondary

Schools (’000s)

Confidential


Supporting Materials Regional Secondary Student-Teacher Ratio 2004

Saudi Student-Teacher Ratio in Secondary Education, 2004

Source: Ministry of Education


Hail

Asir

Makah

Tabuk

Madinah

Najran

Al Jowf

Al Qaseem

Northern Borders

Jizan

Al Baha

≥ 13

Less than 10

≥ 10 to <13

Pupils

per Teacher

Confidential


Note: US figures are from 2003. Source: Saudi Ministry of Education; ICTs in Schools, European Commission: Information Society and Media

Supporting Materials Number of Computers per 100 Pupils in Selected Countries (2006)

Saudi Arabia

Germany Finland Sweden Netherlands Denmark UK

Num

ber o

f C

ompu

ters

Number of Computers per 100 Pupils in Primary and Intermediary Education Levels, 2006

Saudi Arabia

Germany Sweden Netherlands UK Denmark Finland

Number of Computers per 100 Pupils in Secondary Education Levels, 2006

Confidential


Source: ‘Saudi Arabia Statistical Year Book 2004 & 2005’, Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ame Info, ‘The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Educational System’, February 2007, UNESCO, SAGIA

Medicine 219 55 274 268 80 348

Engineering 106 8 114 137 5 142

Education 38 51 89 94 64 158

Agriculture 23 2 25 9 2 11

Physics 113 66 179 112 51 163

Humanities 59 152 211 75 136 211

Social Sciences 178 76 254 NA NA NA

Fine Arts 0 6 6 3 8 11

Laws 25 0 25 52 3 55

Others 5 0 5 56 23 79

Total 766 416 1,182 1,003 465 1,468

31% 12% 24%

Supporting Materials Number of Scholarships to Study Abroad in Saudi Arabia

  In 2005, the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) and the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission introduced a new scholarship program in order to facilitate scholarships for 15,000-17,000 students for study abroad during the last half of the decade

  Although, US and Canada are the most visited destinations, there are also increasing opportunities in the Asian countries:

Provision of state scholarships allows a significant number of Saudi students to study abroad

Confidential


Note: 1 M: Male, F: Female (Female colleges are run separately under the universities), C: Co-ed Source: Ame Info, Saudi Arabia’s 2006 Budget, 2005 Performance

Universities in Saudi Arabia, 1955-2005

King Saud Riyadh 1957 C

Islamic University of Medina Medina 1961 NA

King Abdul Aziz Jeddah 1967 C

Imam Muhammad Bin Saud Islamic Riyadh 1974 C

King Faisal University Damman 1975 C

King Fahd University for Petroleum Dhahran 1975 M

Umm Al Qura University Mecca 1979 C

King Khalid University Abha 1998 C

Arab Open University Riyadh, Jeddah 2002 C

Prince Sultan University Riyadh 2003 C NA

Qasim University Buraidah 2004 NA

Taif University Taif 2004 NA (Private)

Before the year 2000 there were

only 8 universities for

Saudi students

Between 2000-2005

4 new universities were added

Supporting Materials University Landscape in Saudi Arabia (1/2) To accommodate an increasing number of students, a number of government sponsored universities have recently been established

Confidential


Note: 1 Some universities have dedicated campuses for female students or additional campuses in a different region; 2 M: Male, F: Female (Female colleges are run separately under the universities), C: Co-ed; 3 Universities funded by the Government under the budget have been considered as funded institutions; 4 Proposed admissions for women in future

Source: Arab News, University websites, MOHE; Saudi Arabia’s 2006 Budget, 2005 Performance

Universities in Saudi Arabia, 2005-2007

Taibah University Medina 2005 C

King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences Riyadh 2005 C NA

Al Jawf University Al Jawf 2005 NA

Jizan University Jizan 2005 C

Prince Mohammad University Khobar 2006 C (Private)

University of Hail Ha’il 2006 NA

University College of Jubail Jubail 2006 C NA

Al Bahah University Al-Bahah 2006 NA NA

Najran University Najran 2006 NA NA (Independent)

Al Faisal University Riyadh 2007 M4 (Private)

Supporting Materials University Landscape in Saudi Arabia (2/2)

10 new universities

were established during 2005

mostly through mergers of

existing institutions or

by Royal decree

A range of reforms have started to promote an increase in private provision with greater academic freedom

Confidential


Supporting Materials Tendency of Middle Eastern Students to Study Abroad

Number of graduating students from a given country studying abroad, selected countries, 2005

Graduating students studying abroad

372 1,013 1,901 519 2,376 2,507 270 1,509 214 6,207 2,230

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dent

s st

udyi

ng a

broa

d

  A high percentage of the students from the majority of Middle Eastern Countries leave their country to study abroad

  Only 1.7 % of Saudi students study abroad: –  The low outbound mobility

of students might be attributed to the relatively low income of the population (~60% is considered low income), difficulties in meeting international entry requirements and cultural / religious factors

  Additionally, Saudi students are well-supported to study in-country (annual living expenses grants of $2,880 for higher studies, $9,600 for master’s degrees and $12,600 for Ph.D.s)1

Though significant scholarships are given, Saudi students are less likely to study abroad as compared to their Middle East counterparts

Note: 1 There are no tuition fees for most of the public universities in Saudi Arabia Source: Global Education Digest, UNESCO, OECD

Prevalence of Tertiary Education in Saudi Arabia

Confidential


The skills gap in the Saudi workforce can be attributed to low tertiary enrollment combined with a lack of graduates in economically important areas

Switzerland1

*

* *

As

% R

elev

ant

Age

Gro

up

* *

*

*

*

*

* * *

*

Humanities & Arts

Education

Social Sciences

Science

Unspecified prog.

Health &Welfare

Engineering

General prog.

Agriculture

Services

Note: 1Figures for general program not found Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics

Saudi Arabia

Subject Wise Tertiary Enrolment Levels by Percentage of Students, 2005

Tertiary Enrollment by Percentage of Relevant Age Group for KSA and WEF Top10

28%

Sweden1

*

1.7%

0.2%

GCI Rank

2006: 1 2005: 4

GCI Rank

2006: 3 2005: 7

47% 82%

Switzerland Sweden

Supporting Materials Tertiary Enrollment

Confidential


Number of Graduates by Subject Area, 2005

Education 67 124 47

Social Sciences 41 217 178

Science 39 78 52

Health & Welfare 15 139 46

Engineering 9 134 62

Total 280 820 470

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  Saudi Arabia produces a much lower number of graduates in economically important degree subjects like engineering and science as compared to Switzerland and Sweden

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics

Supporting Materials Tertiary Enrollment

Tertiary Enrollment by Subject Area, 2005

Confidential


Supporting Materials Graduates per Thousand People in Technical Disciplines (2005)

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics

*

* * *

* * * *

Graduates per 1,000

People

Confidential


Supporting Materials Tertiary Education Attainment by Region (2004)

Saudi Arabia’s University and/or Higher Education Attainment by Region, 20041


Ha'il

Asir

Makkah

Tabuk

Madinah

Najran

Al Jowf

Qassim

Northern Border

Jizan

Al Bahah

10% or more with university education and/or higher

8–10% with university education and/or higher

6% or less with university education and/or higher

Note: 1Caculations include Saudi Arabian Nationals only Source: Ministry of Education Statistical Yearbook, 2006

6–8% with university education and/or higher

Percentage of Population with University and/or

Higher Education

Confidential


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High Diploma / Master’s Degree *

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Supporting Materials Likelihood of Saudi Arabians to Pursue Graduate Education

Note: 1 M: Male, F: Female Source: Saudi Arabian population census, U.S. National Center for Education Statistics, Education Digest Statistics

Num

ber o

f peo

ple

with

spe

cifie

d le

vel o

f ed

ucat

ion

‘000

Total Ph.D. 0 443 1,429 3,771 4,642 4,157 2,983 1,530 961 834 20,750 Total HD/MD 380 4,394 8,729 9,361 9,378 7,219 4,467 2,455 1,439 1,124 48,946 Total Univ 115,347 349,715 266,985 168,401 101,073 58,743 27,556 11,722 6,768 6,494 1,112,804 Ph.D.s and HD/MD as % of all degrees

0.3% 1.4% 3.7% 7.2% 12.2% 16.2% 21.3% 25.4% 26.2% 23.2% 5.9%

  Approximately 6% (1.1 million) of the Saudi population has a tertiary degree

  The number of Master’s Degrees (4.1%) and Ph.D.s (1.8%) as a percentage of all degrees is relatively low (US: 27.8% and 2.5% respectively): –  A very secure job market for

nationals with an undergraduate degree may provide limited incentives for further study

Currently, only a small percentage of students is choosing to pursue graduate level education

Gender:

Workforce

Confidential


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Electricity, gas and water

Saudi Arabia is dependent on imported labor for much of its economic activity

Note: 1Scientific, technical and human specialists in private sector Source: Saudi Arabia Monitoring Agency (SAMA); Central Department of Statistics, Saudi Arabia

Workforce Division, by Profession, 2005 Workforce Division, by Economic Activity, 2005

* *1 * *

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Supporting Materials Structure of the Workforce Division

Confidential


* *

* *

* *

* * * *

*

*

Anticipated Labor Force 9,221 11,029 12,764 15,005

2009 2014 2019 2024

Projected GDP / Capita $12,850 $15,250 $19,249 $26,260 Benchmark Countries Taiwan

($15.197) Taiwan ($15.197)

Greece ($20,018) Singapore

($26,814) Benchmark Skilled Labor (as % of workforce)

29% 29% 32% 37%

Benchmark Skilled Labor Needs vs. Projected Skilled Labor (‘000s)

0,778 0,986

1,396

2,152

Skilled Labor Needs Skilled Labor Projections Anticipated Gap

Note: GDP / Capita Growth Rates From 8th Development Plan; Skilled workforce includes: Managers, Legislators, and Professionals, technicians and associate professionals as defined by ILO; Saudi Labor Force Data based on 2001 Statistics, 4Assuming 8.4% Increase in graduates per 8th; Dev. Plan, Graduates calculated as ¼ of all social sciences, business, law (all) science and engineering( male) students enrolled Source: 8th Development Plan, Saudi Arabia Long-Term Strategy 2025, ILO Workforce Statistics, World Bank GDP, UNESCO

1,000 people

Supporting Materials Projected Shortfall of Skilled Labor

Comparison between Private and Government Education

Confidential






Riyadh 134 41,636 108 15,181 77 21,347 186 27,601 109 9,978 83 15,994

Makkah 118 29,431 98 10,867 65 14,170 171 26,043 93 6,368 63 7,513

Al-Madinah 16 4,450 13 1,380 8 1,581 26 2,593 17 860 13 2,294

Al-Qaseem 12 1,130 11 419 11 1,935 14 868 11 350 12 2,063

Eastern Region 70 16,965 54 566 38 7,318 66 8,496 37 2,440 26 4,311

Aseer 11 1,856 9 531 8 1,077 15 849 11 280 7 783

Tabouk 10 3,062 7 720 5 1,408 9 1,180 6 316 6 1,069

Hail 5 1,457 2 601 2 726 3 374 2 153 2 462

Northern Region 4 656 4 116 0 0 1 45 0 0 0 0

Jizan 1 126 1 53 1 198 1 69 1 19 1 302

Najran 3 252 1 26 1 192 0 0 0 0 0 0

Al-Baha 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Al-jouf 9 1,761 5 340 4 367 6 287 2 62 1 67

Total 393 102,782 313 30,800 220 50,319 498 68,405 289 20,826 214 34,858


Supporting Materials Private Education Provision by Administrative Region

Confidential






Riyadh 1,147 24,9773 108 558 104,495 287 77,895 1,253 248,866 9,978 602 111,197

Makkah 1,091 26,2368 98 553 114,477 318 97,156 1,082 253,273 6,368 566 112,505

Al-Madinah 432 87,150 13 243 37,374 113 32,093 411 82,235 860 211 3,6371

Al-Qaseem 443 59,543 11 210 24,755 113 19,963 498 54,413 350 242 24,257

Eastern Region 552 164,597 54 330 73,299 199 60,548 570 162,075 2,440 285 75,605

Aseer 864 97,257 9 412 43,692 207 39,566 815 89,252 280 332 37,970

Tabouk 188 40,665 7 100 16,005 50 11,983 166 39,663 316 92 15,163

Hail 296 29,835 2 133 13,260 75 11,289 249 27,399 153 115 11,610

Northern Region 87 17,241 4 46 6,840 29 6,541 90 16,262 0 36 6,821

Jizan 493 69,512 1 279 29,826 117 23,469 450 58,015 19 200 22,225

Najran 143 27,335 1 84 10,687 42 9,471 145 24,503 0 59 9,133

Al-Baha 266 19,311 0 115 9,504 51 9,570 275 17,976 0 132 8,536

Al-jouf 133 22,707 5 81 9,534 42 8,801 124 23,312 62 72 9,988

Total 6,135 1,147,294 313 3,144 493,748 1,643 408,345 6,128 1,097,244 20,826 2,944 481,381

Supporting Materials Government Education Provision by Administrative Region


Confidential


Supporting Materials Private vs. Public Education

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Private Education

* *

*

*

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* *

Government Education

Private education accounts for roughly 7% of all students educated in KSA, with private high schools responsible for the largest share of private education (9.4%)

Num

ber o

f Stu

dent

s N

umber of S

chools Num

ber o

f Stu

dent

s N

umber of S

chools

Private Education Share 7.1% 5.0% 9.4%

Male 8.2% 5.9% 11.0%

Female 5.9% 4.1% 7.8%


Confidential


Supporting Materials Private Education by Region

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Private Education - Male Private Education - Female

Private elementary schools teach the largest number of private education students across gender and regions


Num

ber o

f Stu

dent

s

Num

ber o

f Sch

ools

Saudi Arabia’s Performance Across a Range of Metrics

Confidential

Copyright © 2008 Monitor Company Group, L.P. — Confidential — 97 DES-EOU-Baseline Assessment-August 2008-RBP Source: IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2006, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in World Competitiveness 2002

World Economic Forum Rankings (hard data, survey scale 1-7) Net primary enrollment rate (hard data) 78 96

Gross secondary enrollment rate (hard data) 88 106

Gross tertiary enrollment rate (hard data) 28 70

Quality of the educational system 3.5 5.2

Quality of management schools 4.1 5.5

Quality of math and science education 3.9 5.3

Internet access in schools is extensive 3.5 6.1

IMD Rankings (hard data, survey scale 1-10) Total public expenditure on education: Percentage of GDP 9.5 5.9

Net secondary school enrollment: Percentage of relevant age group receiving full-time education 52.0 88.7

Higher Education: Percentage of population that has attained at least tertiary education 17.7 36.6

Adult (over 15 years) illiteracy rate as a percentage of population 20.6 2.2

Pupil-teacher ratio (primary education) Ratio of students to teaching staff 12.0 16.2

Pupil-teacher ratio (secondary education) Ratio of students to teaching staff 13.0 14.0

Youth interest in science is strong (scale from1-10) 5.2 5.5

Science in schools is sufficiently emphasized (scale from1-10) 4.4 5.8

Source: World Economic Forum, IMD WCY 2006,

Supporting Materials Saudi Arabia's Performance Against Global Benchmarks (1/2)

Confidential


IMD Rankings (hard data, survey scale 1-10) The educational system meets the needs of a competitive economy 4.1 6.8

University education meets the needs of a competitive economy 4.4 7.2

Language skills are meeting the needs of enterprises n/a 7.2

Finance skills are readily available 5.0 7.8

Education in finance does meet the needs of enterprises 4.4 7.4

Economic literacy is generally high among the population 4.3 6.9

Skilled labor is readily available 4.9 6.5

Qualified engineers are available in your labor market 5.2 6.9

Information technology skills are readily available 4.9 8.5

World Economic Forum Rankings (hard data, survey scale 1-7) Quality of scientific research institutions 4.1 5.8

Capacity for innovation 3.6 5.6

University/industry research collaboration 3.4 5.2

IMD Rankings (hard data, survey scale 1-10) Brain drain does not hinder competitiveness in your economy 5.7 7.1

Total R&D personnel nationwide per capita Full-time work equivalent (FTE) 0.23 7.21

Total R&D personnel nationwide Full-time work equivalent (FTE) 5.2 54.0

Knowledge transfer is highly developed between companies and universities 3.8 6.3

Supporting Materials Saudi Arabia's Performance Against Global Benchmarks (2/2)

Source: World Economic Forum, IMD WCY 2006,

Confidential


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Mean GMAT scores of citizens, selected countries, 2006-071

Mean TOEFL internet test scores, selected countries, 2006-07

Mea

n G

MAT

Sco

re M

ean

TOE

FL

Inte

rnet

Tes

t Sco

re

# of participants 64 507 209 216 790 42 5 671 553 3057 142K 750

Supporting Materials GMAT and TOEFL Scores in the Middle East

Note: 1 GMAT scores are from citizens of the countries mentioned; 2TOEFL weighted average calculated using country populations;Equals a score of 250 on the TOEFL computer-based exam

Source: www.gmac.com, www.thunderbird.edu;

This weakness is reflected in average GMAT and TOEFL results which are substantially below international standards

  The low number of GMAT test takers in the ME may be attributed to low tertiary enrollment, low proportion of business students, and the lack of a culture of learning (guaranteed jobs give little incentive for further education)

  The average TOEFL score is significantly below the minimum entry requirement across the region

Confidential


Source: UNESCO; TIMSS Report; Global Competitiveness Report 2007–2008, World Economic Forum

TIMSS Score

Supporting Materials TIMSS Score in Math and Science (2003)

Confidential


Supporting Materials Regional Illiteracy Rate as a Percentage of Population (2004)

Saudi Arabia’s Illiteracy Rate as % of Population, 2004

Source: Regional Census 2004


Hail

Asir

Makah

Tabuk

Madinah

Najran

Al Jowf

Al Qaseem

Northern Borders

Jizan

Al Baha

Less than 15%

≥ 15% to < 20%

≥ 25%

≥ 20% to < 25%

Adult Literacy

Level

Confidential

Copyright © 2008 Monitor Company Group, L.P. — Confidential — 102 DES-EOU-Baseline Assessment-August 2008-RBP Source: Eurydice; World Education Services

Supporting Materials Hours per Year Spent in Secondary School for Select Countries

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Hours of Secondary Education

Baseline Assessment: Index of Slides

Confidential


Index (1/3)

Location of Economic Cities 3

Goals for the Economic Cities 3

Saudi Arabia’s Performance Against the World Economic Forum Education Metrics 4

Key Findings and Implications for the Economic Cities 6

TIMSS Scores, Selected Countries, 2003 7

Quotes on Teaching and Assessment in Saudi Public Schools 8

Hours of Teaching Time by Subject in The Netherlands, Sweden and Saudi Arabia, 2004 9

Scientific Research Papers per Million People, Selected Countries, 2003 10

Enrollment Levels in Saudi Arabia, 2006 11

Proportion of Current Students by Tertiary Subject Area, Selected Countries, 2002/03 12

School Aged Population, 2004 – 2025 (in millions) 13

Quotes on Regulatory and Investing Issues in Saudi Arabia 14

Objectives for the Economic Cities 15

Executive Summary 17

Structure of the System 19

Government Bodies involved in Education 20

Education in the KSA 21

Education Cluster Map, 2003 22

Education Flowchart 23

Pre-Primary, Primary, and Intermediate Education in the KSA 24

Secondary Education in the KSA 25

Tertiary Education in the KSA 26

Distribution of K-12 Students by Education Provider, 2005 27

The Government’s Role in Private Education 27

Private Education Provision and Enrollment by Region and Gender, 2005 28

Private Education 29

Students in Government Education, 2005 29

High Investment Levels with Notable Achievements 31

Public Expenditure on Education, 1970, 1980–2004 32

Countries Total Spending on Education as a Percentage of Gross National Income, 2007 33

Public Expenditure per Student on Education Select Countries and Saudi Arabia, 2004 34

Number of Primary Schools, 1970-2005 35

Number of Secondary Schools, 1970-2005 35

Number of Teachers, 1970-2005 36

Gross Primary Enrollment1 Improvement, 1970-2005 37

Gross Secondary Enrollment2 Improvement, 1970-2005 37

Gross Tertiary Enrollment3 Improvement, 1996-2005 37

Gross Tertiary Education Enrollment Rate (%), Selected Countries, 1998-2006 38

Adult Literacy1 Levels, 1970-2004 39

Saudi Arabia’s Illiteracy Rate as % of Population, 2004 40

A Disappointing Return on Investment 42

TIMSS Scores for Intermediate Education, Selected Countries, 2003 43

Mean GMAT scores of citizens, Selected Countries, 2006-07 44

Mean TOEFL internet test scores, Selected Countries, 2006-07 44

THES Top 100 Universities by Country, 2006 45

Webometrics Rankings of Universities in the KSA, 2006 45

US Patents Granted (per Million People), 2004 46

Saudi Arabia’s Performance Against the World Economic Forum Education Metrics 47

Growing Pains: the Shifting Economy and Youth Bulge 48

Considerable and Immediate Challenges to the Education System 49

Confidential


Index (2/3)

Workforce Division by Profession, 2005 51

Workforce Division by Economic Activity, 2005 51

Training Budget as a Percentage of Middle Eastern Firms Total Operating Costs, 2005 52

Training Budget Trends for Middle Eastern Companies, 2005 52

Benchmark Skilled Labor Needs vs. Projected Skilled Labor Including Women 53

Saudi Arabia Population, 2005 54

Saudi Working Age Population 54

Saudi Unemployment by Education Status (Age 15+) 55

Student-Teacher Ratio, 1970 – 2005 56

School Aged Population MM 56

NCC Recommendations for the Education System 57

Responses to NCC Recommendations for the KSA Education System 57

Understanding the System: Faculty, Curriculum, Pedagogy 59

The Essence of Education 60

Supporting Factors 60

Faculty Education Requirements 61

An Overview of the Curriculum in Saudi Arabia 62

Recent Developments in the Curriculum 62

Hours of Teaching Time by Subject in the Netherlands, Sweden and Saudi Arabia, 2004 63

Current Students by Subject Area, Selected Countries, 2002/03 64

Pedagogical Global Best Practices 65

Current Saudi Arabian Pedagogical Practices 65

Conclusion 66

Number of Weekly Periods per Subject and per Grade at the Elementary Level 69

Assessment and Promotion at the Elementary Level 69

Basic Details of Elementary Level Education 69

Number of Weekly Periods per Subject and per Grade at the Intermediate Level 70

Assessment and Promotion at the Intermediate Level 70

Basic Details of Intermediate Level Education 70

Basic Details of Secondary Level Education 71

Breakdown of Subjects Studied, and Periods per Week across Different Grades under Religious and Arabic Sciences Curriculum at Secondary Level Education

71

Breakdown of Subjects Studied, and Periods per Week across Different Grades under Administrative and Social Sciences Curriculum at Secondary Level Education

71

Breakdown of Subjects Studied, and Periods per Week across Different Grades under Natural Sciences Curriculum at Secondary Level Education

72

Breakdown of Subjects Studied, and Periods per Week across Different Grades under Technical Sciences Curriculum at Secondary Level Education

72

Assessment and Promotion at the Secondary Level 72

Regional Information and Number of Schools per Region 74

Total Number of Primary School Teachers, 1970–2005 75

Total Number of Primary Schools, 1970–2005 75

Total Number of Secondary School Teachers, 1970–2005 75

Total Number of Secondary Schools, 1970–2005 75

Saudi Student-Teacher Ratio in Secondary Education, 2004 76

Number of Computers per 100 Pupils in Primary and Intermediary Education Levels, 2006 77

Number of Computers per 100 Pupils in Secondary Education Levels, 2006 77

Number of scholarships to study abroad, Issued by Ministry of Higher Education, Saudi Arabia, 2004 & 2005

78

Details of Universities in Saudi Arabia Established between 1955-2005 79

Details of Universities in Saudi Arabia Established between 2005-2007 80

Number of Graduating Students From a Given Country Studying Abroad in Selected Countries, 2005

81

Confidential


Index (3/3)

Tertiary Enrollment by Percentage of Relevant Age Group for KSA and WEF Top10 83

Percentage of Students Enrolled in Different Subjects Across Select Countries in Tertiary Level Education, 2005

83

Number of Graduates by Subject Area Across Select Countries, 2005 84

Graduates per Thousand People in Technical Disciplines, 2005 85

Saudi Arabia’s University and/or Higher Education Attainment by Region, 2004 86

Number of People with Tertiary Education by Age Group and Degree, Saudi Arabia, 2004 87

Prevalence of Ex-Pats in Workforce by Profession, 2005 89

Prevalence of Ex-Pats in Workforce by Economic Activity, 2005 89

Benchmark Skilled Labor Needs vs. Projected Skilled Labor (‘000s) 90

Private Education Provision and Enrollment by Region and Gender, 2005 92

Government Education Provision and Enrollment by Region and Gender, 2005 93

Number of Students and Schools in Private Education, Broken Down by Education Level 94

Number of Students and Schools in Government Education, Broken Down by Education Level

94

Number of Students and Schools in Male Private Education, Broken Down by Region and Education Level

95

Number of Students and Schools in Female Private Education, Broken Down by Region and Education Level

95

Saudi Arabia's Performance Against Global Benchmarks 97

Saudi Arabia's Performance Against Global Benchmarks 98

Mean GMAT scores of citizens, selected countries, 2006-07 99

Mean TOEFL internet test scores, selected countries, 2006-07 99

TIMSS Score in Math and Science Across Select Countries, 2003 100

Regional Illiteracy Rate Across Saudi Arabia as % of Population, 2004 101

Hours per Year Spent in Secondary School for Select Countries 102

baseline assessment saudi

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