Gulf States: Educational Reform’s Real Goals

The Arab Gulf states – Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman – are not known for eagerly incorporating reforms suggested by other countries. Education is an exception, however. Young students attending universities are products of a system that owes much – and some would say too much – to foreign influence. English has become the language of higher education in the Gulf region, and this could hamper the potential of those unfamiliar with the tongue. Political science Professor Ebtisam Al Kibti argues that this and other changes to the Gulf region’s educational system are designed to keep university students in line – to ensure that their development conforms to the interests of foreign powers and not contribute to progressive change within their own societies. Speaking another language separates students from the society they may someday serve, and Al Kibti suggests that long-term reform for Arab societies requires strong connections between any country’s educational institutions and its public policy makers, activists and citizens. – YaleGlobal