BAHRAIN's commitment to education is a permanent trend that is set at the heart of the country's plans for the future, Crown Prince and Economic Development Board (EDB) chairman Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa said yesterday.
The country made education a priority 90 years ago, in 1919, when it introduced the first public education system, followed in 1928 by becoming the first nation in the Arab world to establish a school for girls, he said.
Since then Bahrain has seen it a duty and privilege to continue the country's tradition of educational reform, Shaikh Salman said.
He was delivering a special address at the first annual Bahrain Education Project, which opened at the Shaikh Isa Cultural Centre, Juffair, yesterday.
"Our commitment today is just as passionate, to keep improving the education and training opportunities for all our people, regardless of gender or religion or income," he said.
"We do this because people are what make a country. People are key to a country's growth and they are entitled to the education and training they need to win good jobs and a good income for their family.
"This idea is not entirely altruistic. It is in the interests of the government and the national economy to ensure a steady supply of skilled and qualified workers to improve industrial productivity and thereby stimulate economic growth.
"But honouring our commitment to good education for all has grown more complex and difficult for every country, because the global economy is highly competitive and changing fast," he said.
A special address was also presented by Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, who highlighted his country's educational programmes, particularly in information technology, maths and physics, as well as providing scholarships, computers and training.
More than 200 education experts from around the world are attending the two-day event, which is organised by the EDB to address gaps in the quality of education systems and the means of achieving greater stability, productivity and prosperity.
Shaikh Salman explained that there were gaps in the quality of the world's education systems, with increased spending on education often failing to deliver the expected improvements.
He explained that the Education Project was a chance for educationalists to work together as an international team to share ideas, innovations and reforms so that the hopes of the next generation become attainable aspirations, not impossible dreams.
"The project has grown out of Bahrain's experience in looking and learning from best practices in the best education systems around the world," said Shaikh Salman.
"What we have learned above all is that education is a constantly moving target.
"You simply cannot afford to be complacent. Despite having a well-established education system, recognised as a regional leader, we realised we had to reform when we took a concentrated look at where we stood globally."
Shaikh Salman recalled the country's recent educational reforms, referring in particular to the Quality Assurance Authority, Teachers College, Bahrain Polytechnic and the Crown Prince's International Scholarship Programme.
"Bahrain is making good progress towards a productive, highly-skilled and bilingual national workforce that we must have if we are to be well-equipped to face the future," he said.
"And we all have much to learn from each other. And to keep learning - because today's new knowledge quickly becomes tomorrow's old history.
"The Education Project is an opportunity to showcase innovations that have succeeded in one area - and, we hope, can successfully be adapted for another.
"In this way, we can together create a practical roadmap, with new information and insights for educators to follow around the world."
The conference tackles issues such as funding education, globalisation and increased competition, e-learning and empowering students, parents and the community.
The first day began with a welcome address by EDB chief executive Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa.
He explained that rates of return on education globally were less than desirable and Bahrain sought to foster dialogue to work towards solutions that were practical, tangible and affordable.
Bahrain's vision, he said, was to have an economy that was independent of its oil wealth and this involved developing education and encouraging investment in all fields.
"In today's economy the benefits of education don't stop at our borders," he said.
"By working together we can all take a step forward in improving global education."
The opening was followed by a debate on the state of affairs of educational outcomes.
Members of the panel included Harvard Graduate School of Education's change leadership group co-director Tony Wagner, UK Higher Education Policy Institute director Bahram Bekhradnia and the former New York City Public School System chancellor Dr Frank J Macchiarola. The debate was followed by stream-discussions focusing on issues raised during the plenary sessions.
Plenary sessions and stream-work will be the order of play for most of today, until Shaikh Mohammed closes the conference with a farewell reception this evening.
becky@gdn.com.bh
