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Education Quality in the Middle East

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Abstract

Some of the most dramatic growth in the provision of primary and secondary education over the last decade has occurred across countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Yet student achievement across MENA is lagging compared to many other parts of the world. Low quality of education is a primary concern and one of the greatest challenges facing education and government leaders across the region. This paper summarises recent evidence regarding student learning in the MENA region and draws on Galal’s model of policy formulation in considering ways that governments across the Middle East might address this problem.

Résumé

ÉDUCATION DE QUALITÉ AU MOYEN-ORIENT – L’enseignement primaire et secondaire des pays du Moyen-Orient et de l’Afrique du Nord (MENA) a connu l’une des croissances les plus spectaculaires au cours de la dernière dÉcennie. Les rÉsultats scolaires des Élèves de la rÉgion MENA accusent cependant un retard par rapport à de nombreuses autres rÉgions du monde. La qualitÉ insuffisante de l’enseignement constitue dans cette rÉgion un souci majeur et l’un des plus grands dÉfis auquel sont confrontÉs les responsables des secteurs Éducatifs et des gouvernements. Les auteurs de cet article font la synthèse des donnÉes rÉcemment collectÉes sur l’apprentissage des Élèves dans la rÉgion MENA et se rÉfèrent au modèle de Galal pour la formulation de politiques, en examinant les moyens par lesquels les gouvernements du Moyen-Orient pourraient s’attaquer au problème des rÉsultats insuffisants de l’apprentissage scolaire.

Zusammenfassung

BILDUNGSQUALITÄT IM NAHEN OSTEN – Im letzten Jahrzehnt ist das Bildungsangebot im Primar- und Sekundarbereich in den LÄndern des Nahen Ostens und Nordafrikas (MENA) mit am stÄrksten gewachsen. Dennoch hinkt die MENA-Region in puncto Schulleistungen hinter vielen anderen Weltregionen her. Die mangelnde BildungsqualitÄt ist ein wichtiges Thema und eine der größten Herausforderungen für FunktionstrÄger des Bildungswesens und der Regierungen in der gesamten Region. In diesem Papier werden Erkenntnisse über schulisches Lernen in der MENA-Region zusammengefasst. Bei den überlegungen, wie die Regierungen in Nahost das Problem mangelhafter Schulleistungen angehen könnten, wird auf Galals Modell zur Erarbeitung politischer Handlungskonzepte zurückgegriffen.

Resumen

LA CALIDAD DE LA EDUCACIÓN EN ORIENTE MEDIO – Durante la última década se ha registrado uno de los crecimientos más espectaculares en provisiÓn de enseñanza primaria y secundaria a lo largo y a lo ancho de los países de Oriente Medio y Norte de áfrica (MENA, por sus siglas en inglés). Sin embargo, el rendimiento escolar de la regiÓn MENA están quedando a la zaga de muchas otras partes del mundo. La baja calidad de la enseñanza es una de las principales preocupaciones y uno de los mayores desafíos para los responsables de la educaciÓn y gobernantes de la regiÓn. En este trabajo, los autores resumen los datos recogidos recientemente sobre estudiantes de la regiÓn MENA y se aproximan al modelo de políticas formulado por Galal en cuanto a la búsqueda de caminos para que los gobiernos de Oriente Medio aborden estos problemas de bajo nivel de aprendizaje.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Educational Policy and Administration, University of Minnesota, 330 Wulling Hall, 86 Pleasant St. SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA

    David W. Chapman

  2. University of Minnesota, 130 Burton Hall, 178 Pillsbury Dr. SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA

    Suzanne L. Miric

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  1. David W. Chapman
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  2. Suzanne L. Miric
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Correspondence to David W. Chapman.

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This paper is based on and draws from the 2005 background paper by David W. Chapman and Suzanne Miric entitled “Teacher Policy in the MENA Region: Issues and Options”, which was prepared for the Middle East and North Africa Division, Washington D.C.: World Bank. This study was part of the input used to prepare the World Bank Flagship Report entitled The Road Not Traveled: Education Reform in the Middle East and North Africa, Washington D.C.

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Chapman, D.W., Miric, S.L. Education Quality in the Middle East. Int Rev Educ 55, 311–344 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-009-9132-5

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