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Educational Practice in Saudi Arabia

Haleema Humayun Awan

University of the People

EDUC 5710: Understanding Barriers to Learning

Instructor: Abhishek Mahajan

Feb 2, 2022
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Education is vital for the amount of knowledge we obtain, the professional chances we are given,

and the respect we are given in society.

“In Saudi Arabia, your educational possibilities are primarily influenced by your passport and, to

a lesser extent, your religion. Despite the abundance of public, private, and foreign schools, not

everyone has access to them.” Sergon, V. (2020)

Saudi Arabia provides a wide range of educational opportunities for both citizens and expat

children. The government schools follow the Ministry of Education's (MoE) guidelines and

curriculum, which is entirely in Arabic and is free for citizens and residents from 1st to 12th

grade. Non-resident children are allowed to enrol as long as they are Muslim and speak Arabic.

There are a number of international private schools in Saudi Arabia that follow a certain country

or methodological system and teach in a range of languages.

“Due to its Vision 2030 efforts, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is witnessing rapid changes in a

variety of industries. The education sector is one such industry.” Growth Potential of Private

Education in Saudi Arabia (2018).

In Saudi Arabia, any student might be accepted based on their grade level and age category.

Children as young as three years old can enroll in nursery and kindergarten; children aged six to

twelve years old can enroll in elementary school for six academic years; children aged thirteen to

fifteen years old can enroll in middle school for three academic years. Secondary school lasts

three academic years and students range in age from 16 to 18. As a result of the lack of

acceptance of diversity in the classroom, kids' learning chances are limited. Unfortunately, the

narrow scope of education in Saudi Arabia's government schools has resulted in a generation that

is closed to diverse cultures and rarely accepts to engage with people from different origins. In
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addition, a lack of diversity leads to misunderstanding and ignorance of people from other

cultures.

Many Saudi parents have recently begun to favor overseas education for their children. To

accommodate the demand for foreign education, a slew of new international schools have

recently launched. As a teacher in an American international school where the curriculum is

based on the American curriculum. We, like all foreign schools in Saudi Arabia, accept students

of any nationality, race, religion, or culture. The diversity of our school community's pupils and

teaching personnel enriches and diversifies the teaching and learning experience.

This openness is beneficial not only to the individual student but also to the class as a whole.

Interacting with kids from various backgrounds is beneficial to student development. It also

teaches acceptance of all people. "A classroom with children from a variety of origins,

functioning levels, skills, and interests offers a lot of promise — it provides plenty of opportunity

for instructors and students to learn from one another's unique views, develop empathy, and

encourage cross-cultural understanding." R. Cousik (2015).

If they did not involve all students, it would be more difficult for students to interact with people

of diverse cognitive capacities, races, and so on in the future. They develop acceptance at a

young age by including everyone. In my opinion, the implications and consequences of

acceptance for all children can help students understand more about the world and learn to accept

others from a young age. However, when students and teachers are inattentive to the cultural,

language, religious, and gender distinctions that occur with a varied school environment, it can

be troublesome. Luckily, there are numerous initiatives educators can take to encourage diversity

in the classroom curriculum and establish a good and inclusive learning environment that allows

all children to achieve academic and social success. Actively connecting with and learning about
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the diversity of others in the classroom will result in a more positive and inclusive atmosphere

for all.

Conclusion:

To guarantee that all students have a successful and meaningful learning experience, we must

ensure that they have access to all services necessary to attain the greatest possible education. We

also need to reassure them that they are cared for and remind them that student accomplishment

is the top priority for teachers.

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References:

Sergon, V. (2020) Guide to the education system in Saudi Arabia. Retrieved from

https://www.expatica.com/sa/education/children-education/education-system-in-saudi-arabia-731

78/

Education System in Saudi Arabia, (n.d). Retrieved from

https://www.scholaro.com/pro/countries/saudi-arabia/education-system

Growth Potential of Private Education in Saudi Arabia (2018). Retrieved from

https://argaamplus.s3.amazonaws.com/8960e9c4-e262-4c96-a033-b766ce1ced2c.pdf

Cousik, R (2015). Cultural and functional diversity in the elementary classroom: strategies for

teachers. Journal of Multicultural Education.9 (2), 54-67. Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Retrieved from: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/47231034.pdf