His Excellency Mr Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), emphasised that education represents a fundamental pillar for achieving the sustainable development goals in the GCC countries by focusing efforts on preparing educated national cadres who are well-versed in modern knowledge and sciences, and are aligned with the demands and changes of the era, to be capable of interacting and participating effectively in the comprehensive and sustainable development plans and programmes in the member states.
This came during the Fourth International Educational Conference titled “Transforming Education: Opportunities and Challenges for Enhancing the Future of Education in the GCC States”, held under the patronage and attendance of His Excellency Eng, Sayed Jalal Al Tabtabaei, Minister of Education of the State of Kuwait, on November 5-6, 2024. The conference is organised by the Gulf Arab States Educational Research Centre (GASERC), featuring a distinguished group of specialists in the field from the GCC countries and worldwide.
At the beginning of his speech, HE the Secretary General extended the highest expressions of gratitude and appreciation to His Highness Shaikh Mishal Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, the Amir of the State of Kuwait, for hosting this blessed conference, and for the facilities and support offered by the State of Kuwait to ensure the success of the Council's work. He also acknowledged the support and attention that joint Gulf action receives from His Highness and his brethren, the leaders of the GCC states.
His Excellency recalled that the idea of establishing the GCC emerged to achieve coordination, integration and connection among member states in all fields, ultimately leading to their unity. This is done through strengthening ties and enhancing cooperation among their peoples in various sectors and establishing similar systems in different fields, with education and culture being among the most prominent.
He said: “The journey of shared educational work took proactive steps and began even before the establishment of the Council in 1981, through the Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States (ABEGS), which was established in 1975 under the supervision of the then Ministers of Education. This clearly confirms that education is at the forefront of priorities and is the core of joint Gulf action, serving as our weapon for advancement and development across various sectors.”
HE the Secretary General highlighted that the joint educational effort enjoys the attention of Their Majesties and Highnesses, the leaders of the member states, as their visions are translated into recommendations, initiatives and accomplishments. He explained that this includes the adoption of the future plan for cooperation in education for the GCC countries 2022-2026, and the strategic plan for cooperation in higher education and scientific research 2022-2026, in addition to the launch of the Gulf Information Base (Jisr), which is a project that serves scientific research and academic work in higher education at the level of the member states, and it contains four main databases.
“This conference comes at a crucial time that requires us to think deeply about how to prepare future generations to face the challenges of the modern era, as we live in a world witnessing rapid developments across all sectors and dynamic transformations at many levels, including those that have a direct and indirect impact on education. As the GCC countries are an integral part of the international system, they are not isolated from such challenges. Therefore, our regional and international responsibility to achieve sustainable development goals, especially the fourth goal, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all and promote lifelong learning opportunities, is paramount. The GCC countries are committed to providing a suitable educational environment equipped with essential services, which is underscored by the rising enrolment rates in education,” HE the Secretary General stated.
Furthermore, His Excellency pointed out that the efforts made by the GCC countries to support and develop all education-related matters should now focus on producing recommendations and initiatives that elevate educational work and explore ways to enhance and develop the educational environment, underlining that this will equip children with knowledge, skills and values while providing innovative solutions that leverage modern technology.
HE the Secretary General praised the efforts of the GCC countries and the high levels they have achieved in improving the education environment, participation in education, gender equality, and developing school infrastructure. Moreover, he noted that indicators at both regional and global levels indicate a significant commitment from the GCC countries to provide a suitable educational environment equipped with all essential services, as noted in the latest statistical bulletin on sustainable development goals in the GCC for 2024, issued by the GCC Statistical Centre.
His Excellency also reviewed some indicators at both the regional and global levels, highlighting that the GCC countries achieved the highest regional enrolment rate of 99.2 percent in organised education before the official school entry age, clarifying that the percentage of schools receiving essential services stood at 100 percent, and 100 percent of teachers received the minimum required training, while at the global level, the GCC achieved a 72.4 percent enrolment rate in organised education before the official school age in 2022, with 90 percent of schools receiving essential services.
In conclusion, His Excellency expressed his profound gratitude to everyone involved in organising the Fourth International Educational Conference, particularly ABEGS and the GASERC, as well as to all participants with expertise and specialisation from various regional and international organisations and civil society institutions, hoping that the conference outputs will be beneficial in transforming education for the better and supporting the educational process.