News & Event

The Ministry of Education concluded its participation in the 29th Muscat International Book Fair. The ten-day event featured a number of activities and programs in the fields of career guidance, student counseling, and vocational and technical education.

Through its participation in the Muscat International Book Fair, the Ministry of Education aimed to open up broad horizons to enhance community engagement and showcase its initiatives and activities to a diverse audience. It is a platform that supports the Ministry's efforts to provide educational services and allows students to understand their perspectives on choosing their educational paths based on their academic and professional orientations. This contributes to planning for their educational programs and specializations within the framework of future opportunities.

The Career Guidance and Student Counseling Center launched the "Masar" educational game and the "Journey into the World of Professions" story series. Meanwhile, the Directorate-General of Vocational and Technical Education presented visitors to the Ministry's booth with an interactive technology platform using artificial intelligence to answer students' inquiries automatically.

About the Ministry's participation in the exhibition, HE Prof. Dr. Abdullah bin Khamis Ambosaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education for Education, said: "The Ministry's participation in the exhibition is of great importance. It is a leading national platform for promoting culture and education, and an ideal opportunity to market the Ministry's services. The Ministry has launched the story series "A Journey into the World of Professions" and the educational game "Masar," which are innovative awareness tools that support students in exploring future professions and making their educational and professional decisions." He explained that these tools combine storytelling and interactivity, allowing students to choose the method that best suits them, stressing that the Ministry will strengthen its presence in upcoming exhibitions.

The "Journey into the World of Professions" series includes 12 booklets, narrating stories revolving around two children, Sultan and Mazoon. It highlights the nature of different professions, their responsibilities, and the specializations required for them. It aims to broaden students' horizons and enhance their ability to choose career paths that align with their interests through a narrative format that illustrates job duties and their importance in facing daily challenges.

The game “Masar” aims to help students in grades 8-10 choose appropriate academic subjects, familiarize them with curriculum guidelines, university majors, training institutes, and job market paths, while also providing them with updated curriculum updates to support their academic and professional decision-making.

Regarding the exhibition's role in raising community awareness about vocational and technical education, Dr. Sultan Al Kindi, Director-General of the Directorate-General of Vocational and Technical Education, said: "The exhibition played a significant role in correcting misconceptions about vocational education and strengthening the role of society in spreading the culture of vocational and technical education as one of the educational paths that aligns with students' interests and future aspirations." He added: "The Directorate also presented a number of accompanying events on the sidelines of the exhibition, such as the vocational and technical education symposium "Vocational and Technical Education in Oman: From Today's Challenges to Tomorrow's Opportunities," discussion sessions with school students on entrepreneurship, and a presentation of students' experiences and projects.

The Ministry participated with a number of interactive screens using virtual reality (VR) technologies, suitable for students of all ages. These screens enable students to interact independently and ask questions about the vocational and technical education path. They also explore specializations related to the engineering and industrial sectors, as well as career guidance and student counseling services in professional, psychological, and social aspects, and respond to these questions in an interactive educational manner.

The exhibition was attended by more than 550,000 visitors, with 674 publishing houses participating, including 640 direct and 34 through agencies, from 35 countries. The exhibition showcased 681,041 Omani, Arab, and foreign titles, including 52,000 recent publications. The exhibition's cultural program included 211 cultural events under the slogan "Cultural Diversity: The Richness of Civilizations." These events covered various fields, such as literature, thought, society, and the arts. A program dedicated to families and children also featured 155 events spread across several corners and activities related to families and children. The exhibition also featured a series of book signings held by publishing houses to celebrate the participating authors and intellectuals.