News & Event

HE Dr. Madiha bint Ahmed Al Shaibani, Minister of Education and Chairperson of the Omani National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, participated in the Global Education Meeting 2030 in Brussels to assess progress in achieving the educational goals of the United Nations Plan for Sustainable Development by 2030. Her Excellency delivered the Sultanate#s speech at the Global Education Meeting 2030 organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) “I would like to start by commending UNESCO for its efforts in monitoring the implementation of SDG4. I am also honored to be part of this Global Education Meeting, which builds on a process that had started in the 2014 GEM, where, through the Muscat agreement, the initial steps towards SDG 4 were taken. One crucial aspect that was emphasized repeatedly and formulated as a stand-alone target in SDG 4 is the quality of teachers, and as the 2007 Mckinsey report on How the World’s best performing school systems come up top states: “The Quality of an education system cannot exceed the quality of its teachers” as teachers have a crucial role, and are instrumental players, in bringing about change we aspire to see in our societies. This role, however, can only be fulfilled if we have a qualified, motivated, committed, and well-prepared teaching work force that is capable of transforming lives; and preparing future generations for the fourth industrial revolution while inculcating values of tolerance peace and understanding. It is therefore vital that national strategies of education address these aspects. In this regard, and within the framework of its National Education Strategy 2040, Oman had adopted national standards for the selection of teachers to ensure teacher quality. However, setting national standards ought to be accompanied with adequate and efficient training, whether pre-service or in-service, as highlighted in target 4.c.1. In this respect, the Sultanate has recently established the Specialized Center for the Professional Training of Teachers which provides in-service training to improve teacher#s competencies, in pedagogy and content knowledge including on ESD. The center also aims at creating a sense of ownership, through programs that ensure participation of expert teachers and school administrators from the various educational regions of Oman in the development of the training programs therefore enhancing professional learning communities and networks through the sharing of best practices and evidence based educational research that can later be used to inform policy makers. Another crucial aspect if we are to create an empowered teaching work force is the necessity of professionalizing teaching. In Oman, and in order to keep in line with standards on professionalization, the Ministry of Education has recently adopted the Oman National Framework for the Education Profession, which will lead to, a teacher licensing system. This framework also addresses the challenges facing the profession such as gender stereotypes, and the issue of the reluctance of males to become teachers. And finally, the Framework seeks to create incentives for teachers, as they professional move up the ladder of the teaching profession as is the case with many other professions. Advancing the status of the teaching profession through motivation is indeed an integral part of establishing an enabling teaching environment. another mode adopted by the Ministry of Education in Oman to serve this purpose is the creation of a biannual educational excellence award for Omani teachers, in order to showcase their initiatives and contributions and encourage the adoption of best practices in education. Dear colleagues, Reaching the SDGs, including SDG 4, and preparing future generations is our collective responsibility, and it is also part of this responsibility to empower and inspire our teachers in delivering the quality education that would guarantee the creation of sustainable communities and a more just and peaceful world.”