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Secondary Education for a Better Future Trends, Challenges and Priorities

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Secondary Education for a Better Future Trends, Challenges and Priorities SULTANATE OF OMAN MINISTRY OF EDUCATION INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE REFORM OF SECONDARY EDUCATION SECONDARY EDUCATION FOR A BETTER FUTURE TRENDS, CHALLENGES AND PRIORITIES SECONDARY EDUCATION REFORM DOCUMENT SULTANTE OF OMAN Muscat 22-24 December 2002 1 This document is written by: Professor Bill Mulford Faculty of Education University of Tasmania 2 Table of Contents Page Introduction: Context, conference aims and organisation and outline of report 5 Context 5 Conference aims and organisation 5 Outline of report 7 Conference themes 8 Theme A: Redefining secondary education for the 21st century: why change is essential 8 Theme B: Effective new models for secondary education in the 21st century: he focus for change 9 Theme C: Strategies for successful implementation of reform: practical blueprints for change 11 Theme D: Practices in evaluating the success of reform 13 Comparison of outcomes from UNESCO reports from Beijing, Beirut, Bangkok, And Mauritius with the outcomes of the Muscat national seminar and international conference 16 The need for balance 19 Conclusion: Recommendations for reforming Secondary Education 24 Annexes 27 1. Conference theme rapporteur reports 29 A. Redefining secondary education for the 21st century: why change is essential 29 B. Effective new models for secondary education in the 21st century: 32 C. Strategies for successful implementation of reform: practical blueprints for change 35 D. Practices in evaluating the success of reform 38 E. Sharing new ideas for change 40 3 report continued that Secondary Education “should thus be adapted to take account both of the different processes whereby adolescents attain maturity ... and of economic Introduction: and social needs.” Context, conference aims and organisation and outline Aware of the fundamental impor- of report tance of education and the growing need to focus on Secondary Edu- cation, the international community Context has taken up the challenge. Clear commitments have been made The first article of the World within the Dakar framework for Declaration on Education for All action to improve the relevance every person - child, adopted by the World Conference and effectiveness of Secondary youth and adult - shall on Education For All held in Jomtien Education. The international con- be able to benefit from in 1990 asserted that “every person ference on secondary education educational opportuni- - child, youth and adult - shall be held between December 22 and 24, ties designed to meet able to benefit from educational 2002 in Muscat, was another crucial opportunities designed to meet their step on this journey. their basic learning basic learning needs.” Ten years needs. after Jomtien, the Dakar Framework Conference aims and organisation for Action (UNESCO, 2000, p.8) In order to complement interna- stated, “Education is a fundamental young people to appro- tional efforts and facilitate policy human right. It is the key to sustaina- priate learning and life ble development and peace and sta- dialogue in respect of this com- skills. More specifi- bility within and among countries, mitment to Secondary Education, cally, the Delors Report and thus an indispensable means for The Sultanate of Oman Ministry of exhorted us to see effective participation in the socie- Education International Conference Secondary Education ties and economies of the twenty- on Reform of Secondary Education “as a crucial point in first century, which are affected by - “Secondary Education for a Better the lives of individuals: rapid globalisation.” Future: Trends, Challenges and it is at this stage that Priorities” - aimed to build on both young people should be able to decide their Out of the six Dakar goals, the results of National Seminar on own future, in the light three had direct implications Secondary Education held in Muscat of their own tastes and for the development of in April, 2002 and the results of aptitudes, and that they the UNESCO International Expert Secondary Education. These three can acquire the abili- Meeting on General Secondary goals implied a massive growth of ties that will make for a Secondary Education in order to Education in the 21st Century held successful adult life absorb primary school completers, in Beijing in May 2001. ensure gender parity in enrolment and provide access for all young The Oman conference received people to appropriate learning and delegates from around 34 countries, life skills. More specifically, the contained a total of 77 presentations Delors Report exhorted us to see and was attended by over 400 parti- Secondary Education “as a crucial cipants. It was the first time that an point in the lives of individuals: it international education conference is at this stage that young people of this magnitude had taken place should be able to decide their own in the Sultanate and arose because future, in the light of their own tas- of, as Yahaya bin Saud bin Mansoor tes and aptitudes, and that they can Al- Sulaimi Minister of Education acquire the abilities that will make stressed in his opening address, “the for a successful adult life.” The importance of exchanging views 5 and experiences with educators so honoured to hear from: as to enrich the educational system.” Secondary Education was described * His Excellency Yahya bin Saud by the Minister as “an important tur- bin Mansoor Al-Sulaimi, Minister ning point and significant phase in of Education the future of students, and played a * His Excellency Koïchiro key role in economic development Matsuura, Director General of and as an engine of social change. UNESCO Secondary education, in particular, * Dr Said Al- Mulais, Director is at a crossroads which can lead in General of the Arab Bureau of different directions - to specialized Education for the Gulf States and academic higher education, * His Excellency Mohammed to technical and professional edu- bin Hamdan Al-Tobi, Under- cation or directly to the world of Secretary for Educational work”. Planning and Projects in the Ministry of Education Similarly, His Excellency the * Dr Aziza Banani, Moroccan Director General of UNESCO, Ambassador to UNESCO and to prepare learners Koïchiro Matsuura, in his opening Chairwoman of the UNESCO in both formal and remarks to the conference, pointed Executive Council non-formal settings out that Secondary Education was * A speech presented by a repre- for higher education, of critical importance “in making sentative from the Islamic the world of work and, our future world a better one”. He Organization for Education, stressed both Secondary Education’s Science and Culture (ISESCO) perhaps most impor- impact during the period of adoles- (Annex 4 contains the speeches tantly, for responsible cence “when important life choices presented at the conference) citizenship in a chan- and career orientations for the future ging world are made and its contribution to The conference themes and topics human resources development as concentrated on: linked with the broader process of social and economic development.” * A. Redefining secondary educa- However, the Director General of tion for the 21st century: why UNESCO was clear in his belief that change is essential Secondary Education needs to be * B. Effective new models for redefined if it is to fulfil its assigned secondary education in the 21st functions, that is “to prepare lear- century: the focus for change ners in both formal and non-formal * C. Strategies for successful settings for higher education, the implementation of reform: prac- world of work and, perhaps most tical blueprints for change importantly, for responsible citi- * D. Practices in evaluating the zenship in a changing world.” success of reform * E. Sharing new ideas for change In order to continue the interna- tional examination of Secondary Education, the Oman conference sought to answer four major ques- tions. These questions were built into five themes treated sequentially over the course of the three days of the conference, each by a keynote speaker and a range of between 10 to 18 refereed papers (see the Conference Programme in Annex 3). In addition, the conference was 6 The report undertakes a comparison of outcomes from recent UNESCO Outline of report reports on Secondary Education from Beijing, Bangkok, Beirut, and This report of the Conference is Mauritius with the outcomes of both organised around the first four of the Oman national and international these five themes (Themes A, B, C, conferences. and D). The material from Theme E, sharing new ideas, is not treated as The report also identifies a number a separate theme but incorporated, of potentially competing theories, as appropriate, into the other four beliefs or ‘tensions’ that became the view taken in themes. The report is heavily based clearer as the conference proceeded. this report is that its on theme rapporteur reports (see the It is argued that while these theories resolution requires Annex 1), which, in turn, are based or beliefs are best seen as balances greater consideration on issue rapporteur reports and rather than tensions, they will need of country and local many hours of discussion among attention if Secondary Education is considerations issue, session and theme rappor- to be effectively developed for the teurs and Ministry of Education and 21st century. An example of one of UNESCO representatives. these balances is that between the forces of globalisation and the need No recommendation The report will be clearer in what it to retain a local identity. is more important has to say about the
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