| The EFA 2000 Assessment: Country Reports | |
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| Oman |
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Part I Descriptive Section
The Education For All: Year 2000 Assessment process started with the Ministry of Education participating in a two-day seminal symposium on Education Indicators organized by UNESCO in Kuwait, on 17–18 Oct. 1998. On that occasion, a special meeting called by the UNESCO Regional Director of Education on the process of EFA: 2000 Assessment, discussed the general guidelines for preparing the report, its structure, timeframe and other related issues were discussed.
Soon after this, the MOE took three concrete actions which included: Designating the National Coordinator for EFA Year 2000 Assessment; Translating the technical guidelines into Arabic and distributing it to all the ministries concerned, and to the directorates and departments concerned within the Ministry of Education; and Formulating the intersectoral committee on EFA: Year 2000 Assessment.
In compliance with the guidelines distributed by the International Consultation Forum on Education for All and further discussed and clarified in the Arab Regional Workshop on Educational Decision Support System (EDSS) organized by the Regional Office for Education in the Arab States, Beirut, Lebanon, 25-28 January 1999 at Beirut, the Ministry of Education formed a broad-based national technical committee for the EFA: Year 2000 Assessment. The membership of the EFA: 2000 Assessment committee included representatives from the MOE, the MOH, the Ministry of National Economy, and the Ministry of Social Affairs, Labour and Vocational Training.
The preparations for training were started with financial assistance from and the active cooperation of the UNICEF Muscat, in the form of implementating MLA studies, developing and discussing a concept paper on definition, the computation and interpretation of educational indicators and their utilization to inform educational policy, and planning and management decisions at central and regional organizational levels of the education system.
The assessment process involved the normal review, appraisal and evaluation procedures required at every step of a sequential process of assessment, and the evaluation of a nation’s educational and social development over a decade in relation to its efforts and endeavours exerted in political, social, economic and cultural contexts.
To start with, given the enormous scope and type of information covering a historical time span of at least a decade, it was absolutely necessary to determine certain key parameters of information. In order to do so, personal meetings were held with key persons, including His Excellency the Minister of Education and Her Excellency the Under Secretary for General Education, whose concern for this project was only surpassed by their eagerness to provide all the support needed to accomplish the task. Meetings were then held with the Deputy Director Generals of various General Directorates and some key Directors of the Directorates and Departments within the Directorates. This was in addition to the meeting of the Technical Committee for EFA Assessment, which was held under the chairmanship of the EFA coordinator, almost the only institutional memory.
Compilation, Arrangement, Computerization and Tabulation of Data.
Relevant data was gleaned from the numerous statistical year books of several ministries, especially from those of the MOE, the Ministry of Development, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Social Affairs, Labour and Vocational Education and the Ministry of National Economy. Having spotted the type of relevant information in different sources, it had to be collected together, organized and entered into a computer system in order to be tabulated, analyzed, and later on to be interpreted.
Quantitative Data: EMIS
Annual school census data collected through a well established Education Management Information System (EMIS) at the Directorate of Research and Statistics (currently decentralization of EMIS to the regional directorates of education is in progress) has been an indispensable source of quantitative data on education.
Qualitative Data
Regarding qualitative data, the MOE has conducted three Monitoring Learning Achievement (MLA) studies over the past five years in cooperation with UNICEF/UNESCO. The results of the MLA studies for Grades 4, 6, and 9 provided useful information about student achievement levels in Arabic, Maths, Science and Life Skills. Areas of strength and weakness in content and cognitive skills were identified, and inequalities were analyzed.
Analyses and Interpretation of Information
Having obtained whatever information was available and could be obtained, and then having sorted it out and organized it in a meaningful format, the data were analysed. The results of various appropriate analyses were tabulated, graphically illustrated, described and finally analytically interpreted in the context of all other available information and knowledge about the social, economic and cultural factors prevalent at the time.
Deriving Indicators
The eighteen EFA indicators were derived from the quantitative data.
Discussion of the Findings with Stakeholders
All the results were discussed and deliberated upon by the technical committee and other stakeholders concerned. The discussions focused on explanation of the findings and identification of the causal factors, future strategies, and the potential threats and opportunities in the way of the successful implementation of a further plan of action.
It gives the Ministry of Education great pleasure to express its gratitude to all those who participated in preparing this report (EFA: Year 2000 Assessment Report).
Special thanks are extended to Her Excellency Nahid Aziz, the UNICEF representative in Muscat, for the continued cooperation between the Ministry of Education and UNICEF.
Thanks are due to Dr. Mahendra Sheth, the UNICEF Muscat Programme Officer, for his role in carrying out this exercise.
Thanks are also extended to Dr. Kapur Ahlawat, whose diversified long experience has helped in preparing and compiling this report.
Thanks are due to the members of the National Committee, who planned and supervised the whole process.
Ministry of Education, Muscat 1999
Table G1 Growth of Schools – Primary, Preparatory, Secondary,
Total (Public + Private) 1990/91 – 1997/98
Table G2 Growth of Students – Primary, Preparatory, Secondary, Total (Public + Private) 1990/91 – 1997/98
Table G3 Growth in Number of Teachers in Schools (Public + Private) 1990/91 – 1997/98
Table G4 Male/Female Teacher Ratio in Schools (Public + Private) 1990/91 – 1997/98
Table EC1 Immunization Coverage Among Children Aged 12–23 Months at the Time of Survey (1995)
Table EC2 Infant and Childhood Mortality (per 1000 live births)
Table EC3 Number of Private Nurseries, Children and Staff by Region 1990/91 – 1997/98
Table KG1 Growth of Preschool Education in Oman: KGs, Enrolment and Staff 1990/91 – 1997/98
Table KG2 Net Enrolment Ratio of Omani Children,1990/91 – 1997/98
Table KG3 Female/Male Ratio in Omani KG Enrolment 1990/91 – 1997/98
Table PR1 Apparent and Net Intake Rates to Grade 1 (Public + Private, Omanis and Expatriates) 1997/98
Table PR2 Public Expenditure on Primary Education as a Percentage of GDP and of Total Public Expenditure on Education (all levels); and Public Current Expenditure on Primary Education Per Pupil as a Percentage of the Gross Domestic National Product (GDP) per Capita 1997/98
Table PR3 Percentage of Total Public Expenditure (Excluding Defence and National Security) on the Education Sector 1990–1997
Table PR4 Share of General Education in the Total Development Investment Expenditure on Education (OR. million) 1990–1997
Table PR5 Value and Percentage of the Government Development Expenditure Spent on Education, Vocational Training and Health (OR. Million) 1990–1997
Table PT1 Number and Percentage of Qualified Primary School Teachers
Table PT2 Percentage of Primary School Teachers Having the Required Academic Qualifications, by Region 1997/98
Table PT3 Class Size, Teachers Per Class, and Pupils Per Teacher in the Public Primary Schools in Oman 1993/94–1997/98
Table PT4 Pupil/Class and Pupil/Teacher Ratios Across the Regions 1997/98
Table PT5 Comparative Pupil/Teacher Ratios in Public and Private Primary Schools by Region 1997/98
Table PR6 Repetition Rate by Grade and Gender 1996/97
Table PR7 Dropout Rate by Grade and Gender 1996/97
Table PR8 Promotion Rate by Grade and Gender 1996/1997
Table PR9 Survival Rate by Grade and Gender 1996/97
Table PR10 Survival and Dropout Rates by Grade and by Gender 1996–1997
Table PR11 The Coefficient of Efficiency for Grades 4 to 9 1996–1997
Table LA1 Vital Statistics of Quality and Coverage of Primary Education 1997/98
Table LA2 Grade 4 Pupils' Achievement in Arabic Language, Maths, Science and Life Skills, 1994 (N = 2,210; Female = 1,098)
Table LA3 Gender Differences and Grade 4 Achievement, 1997 (N = 2,210; 1,112 male and 1,098 female): Percent Correct Score Scale
Table LA4 Urban/Rural Differences and Grade 4 Achievement, 1997 (N = 2,210; 1,112 male and 1,098 female): Percent Correct Score Scale
Table LA5 Regional Mean Percent Correct Scores on Arabic, Science, Maths and Life Skills Tests
Table AL1 Structure of Illiterate Population by Age Group and Gender 1993
Table AL2 Gender Differences in the Education Status of the Omani Population 15+
Table AL2a 15+ Illiteracy Rates in 1993 and 1996
Table AL3 Urban/Rural Variations in Education, Attainment of 15+ Male and Female Population
Table AE1 Literacy Programme: Growth of Centres, Classes and Students (1st and 2nd year) 1990/91 – 1997/98
Table AE2 Illiteracy Enrolment and Graduation Rates from 1973/74 (the start of the programme) to 1997/98
Table AE3 Attrition Rate of Male and Female Literacy Students from 1973/74 (the start of the programme) to 1997/98
Table AE4 Adult Education: Growth of Centres, Classes & Students (Primary, Preparatory and Secondary) 1990/91 – 1997/98
Table AE5 Female/Male Adult Centres, Classes and Students Ratio in Primary, Preparatory, and Secondary Cycles 1990/91 – 1997/98
Figure G1 Growth of Schools – Primary, Preparatory, Secondary, Total (Public + Private) 1990/91 – 1997/98
Figure G2 Growth of Students – Primary, Preparatory, Secondary, Total (Public + Private) 1990/91 – 1997/98
Figure G3a Growth of Teachers in Primary Schools (Public + Private) (90/91-97/98)
Figure G3b Growth of Teachers in Preparatory Schools (Public + Private) (90/91-97/98)
Figure G3c Growth of Teachers in Secondary Schools (Public + Private) (90/91-97/98)
Figure G4 Male/Female Teacher Ratio in Schools (Public + Private) 1990/91 – 1997/98
Figure KG1 Growth of KGs, Classes and Enrolment
Figure KG2 Net KG Enrolment Ratio of Omani Children 1990/91–1997/98
Figure KG3 Growth of Preschool Education (KG) Enrolment in Oman 1990/91 – 1997/98
Figure PT4a Average Class Size 58
Figure PT4b Pupils per Teacher 59
Figure PT5 Comparative Pupil/Teacher Ratios in Public and Private Primary Schools 1997/98
Figure PR6 Repetition Rate by Grade and Gender
Figure PR7 Dropout Rate by Grade and Gender
Figure PR8 Promotion Rate by Grade and Gender 1996/97
Figure PR9 Survival Rate by Grade and Gender 1996/97
Figure PR10a Dropouts and Survival to Grade 5 and Grade 10 with and without Repetition (All Students) 1996/97
Figure PR10b Dropouts and Survival to Grade 5 and Grade 10 with and without Repetition (Female Students) 1996/97
Figure PR10c Dropouts and Survival to Grade 5 and Grade 10 with and without Repetition (Male Students) 1996/97
Figure PR11 Coefficient of Efficiency by Gender and by Grade 1996–1997
Figure PR12a Coefficient of Efficiency at Grade 5 and Grade 9 for Male, Female and All Students
Figure PR12b Average Input Years Per Basic Education (G9) Graduate by Gender
Figure PR12c Average Promotion Repetition and Dropout Rates for the First Five Grades of the Primary Cycle
Figure LA5a Grade 4 Students’ Achievement in Arabic Language Across Regions
Figure LA5b Grade 4 Students’ Achievement in Science Across Regions
Figure LA5c Grade 4 Students’ Achievement in Maths Across Regions
Figure LA5d Grade 4 Students’ Achievement in Life Skills Across Regions
Figure AL1 Association of Illiteracy Rate with Gender and Age
Figure AE1a Literacy Centres
Figure AE1b Literacy Classes
Figure AE1c Literacy Enrolments
Figure AE2 Female to Male Ratio in 1st Year and 2nd Year Literacy Classes (1973/74 – 1997/98)
Figure AE3 Comparative Male and Female Attrition Rates from 1st to 2nd Year of Literacy Education
Figure AE4 Enrolment Trends in Adult Education (1990/91–1997/98)
Figure AE5a F/M Centres Ratio 101
Figure AE5b F/M Classes Ratio (Primary, Preparatory, Secondary)
Figure AE5c F/M Student Ratio (Primary, Preparatory, Secondary)
The year 1970 is a crucial landmark in the developmental history of the Sultanate of Oman. The ascension of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos to the throne on 23 July, 1970 ushered the Sultanate into a new era of renaissance, marked by prosperity, peace and stability, and paving the way for social progress and economic prosperity. Under the inspired leadership of His Majesty the Sultan, the Sultanate has made great strides in educational, social and economic development.
From the outset, the Government adopted a strategic planning approach to develop a sustainable and balanced economy, through the judicious implementation of a series of carefully designed and well-focused Five-Year Plans. The planners have included the development of human resources through quality education and training as a key component in all the Five-Year Plans since 1975.
Before this renaissance, Oman had no educational infrastructure. In 1970, there were only three elementary schools with a total enrolment of 909 pupils (all male). Since then, the Government has made relentless effort and huge investments to expand the basic education system. As a result, by 1990/91 the country had established 838 schools with 364,997 students, both male and female. Of 838 schools, 431 were primary (386 public and 45 private) enrolling 262,989 students (139,385 male and 123,604 female); 321 preparatory (317 public and 4 private) enrolling 72,527 students (40,481 male and 32,046 female); and 78 were secondary (76 public and 2 private) enrolling 25,799 (13,258 male and 12,541 female).
In 1990/91, the primary gross enrolment rate had reached 95.4%, with the net enrolment rate at the 80.4% mark. Presently, the education system can boast of providing universal access to primary education for all school-age children (6–11 years old).
According to the 1993 census data, the gross enrolment rate for primary education (Grades 1–6) was 95.65% for males, 91.84% for females, and 93.79% for both combined. The net enrolment rate for primary education, however, was 81.5% for males, 80.5% for females, and 81.05% for both combined.
The intention here is to underline the importance attached to education, and the commitment of the Government to achieving the goal of Education for All by the year 2000. As the long-term development strategy was translated into successive Five-Year Development Plans, each Plan incorporated the human resources development sector as an essential component. The ultimate goal of all development activities envisaged improving the quality of life and achieving human happiness by raising the standard of living of all the inhabitants of the country. This ultimate goal of development is epitomized in the following excerpt from His Majesty’s address to the nation, the spirit of which has inspired the development of the current human resources development strategy, and the design of education reform plan within its framework.
Development is not a goal in itself. Rather, it exists for building man, who is its means and producer. Therefore, development must not stop at the achievement of a diversified economy. It must go beyond that and contribute to the formation of a citizen who is capable of taking part in the process of progress and comprehensive development. Such goals can be achieved through the improvement of the citizen’s artistic and professional ability, the stimulation of their creative and scientific capabilities, and the improvement of their various skills. All this must be directed towards serving the country and achieving the happiness of all its citizens.
(Sultan Qaboos bin Said, 2nd June, 1995
Quoted in the Fifth Five-Year Plan (1996–2000)
Ministry of Development)
I.2. Educational Authorities
The Ministry of Education is the principal executive authority for the general education system which includes pre-school education, basic education (primary and preparatory) and secondary education. Tertiary education is the portfolio of the Ministry of Higher Education, while vocational training is the charge of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Labour and Vocational Training. In addition, there are other Government and private institutions that offer sepcialized education and training in various fields.
I.3. Authority Behind the Fifth Five-Year Development Plan
The development of Five-Year Development Plans follows a systematic process in which all sectors of the economy take an active part. Specialized ministerial committees with members from different ministries, chaired by the minister of the ministry concerned, review, discuss and improve the proposed development plan of sectoral policy and strategy. This process ensures that the development plan has incorporated all the factors and divergent interests of the various stakeholders, and further ensures intersectoral co-operation and co-ordination, crucial for successful implementation of the Plan.
The goals of EFA are an integral part of the comprehensive human resources development policy of the Government, of which basic education forms the core, together with secondary and tertiary education and vocational/technical education and training. Because the Ministry of Education provides free basic and secondary education for everyone, EFA has already been incorporated into the comprehensive education system of the Sultanate, and no need was therefore felt to design a special plan of action or a special reform programme in order to achieve the EFA goal.
Various UN agencies have co-operated in specific projects for the development of education, including UNESCO, UNICEF, UNDP, and other regional bodies functioning under the auspices of the Gulf Co-operation Council and pan-Arab organizations such as ALESCO. Other international development organizations have contributed to the development and implementation of programmes and activities related to one or more dimensions of EFA.
For instance, the Omani strategy of multisectoral co-operation, intrasectoral co-ordination and social mobilization has produced spectacular results in the field of maternal and child health care. It has thus been acclaimed as a pacesetter for other countries and, more importantly, for responding to the current and future challenges faced in the field of continuous educational and human development to further improve the quality of life of all Omanis. The National Woman and Child Care Plan was a collaborative enterprise by the Ministry of Health (MOH); the Ministry of Social Affairs, Labour, and Vocational Training (MOSALVT); the Ministry of Education (MOH); the Ministry of Information (MOI); the Ministry of Justice (MOJ); the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs (MOARA); the Ministry of the Interior (MOInt); the Ministry of Defence (MOD); the Ministry of Regional Municipalities and the Environment (MORME); the Municipality of Muscat; the Royal Oman Police; the Omani Women’s Association; the Public Authority for Marketing Agricultural Products; the Omani Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Sultan Qaboos University; the World Health Organization; and UNICEF.
What follows is a description of the National Development Plan, reflecting the Goals of EFA embedded in the general goals and targets of the development of human resources.
I.5. The Development Plan (Goals and Objectives)
The guiding principle behind the expansion of the general education system, non-formal and formal adult education activities, the eradication of illiteracy, programmes of gender and regional disparity removal, and the provision of basic health services to all citizens has been the development of human resources. This development of human resources is embodied in the national development plans conceived and designed within the framework of the clearly-defined, broad, long-term objectives of the social and economic development strategy.
The prime concerns of the various ministries have been providing basic education for all school-age children (aged 6–14 years, currently being raised from 14 to 15 years), providing basic health services, adopting appropriate measures to remove gender and regional disparities, and eradicating adult illiteracy (15 years and over).
According to the Fifth Five-Year Plan, the fundamental broad goals approved by the Development Council, inter alia, included:
To concentrate on the development and upgrading of local human resources, thus enabling them to fulfil their role in the Omani economy.
To develop human resources through a comprehensive strategy of training, general and vocational education, and the provision of basic human services, so as to enhance productive efficiency, contribution to the national economy, and interaction with rapidly changing technology.
To distribute investments geographically for the benefit of all areas, with a particular focus on the less developed regions, in order to eliminate the disparity in the standard of living existing between the various regions.
To support and develop the present population centres, and safeguard them from the dangers of mass migration to densely-populated areas.
To complete the building of basic infrastructures.
To recognize the importance of water resources as a vital element in the growth of economic activities and environmental conservation.
To complete the basis of establishing a national economy based on private sector activity in a competitive market, with loan provision for vital projects in accordance with resources available to the State.
To increase the efficiency of the State’s administrative capability.
I.5.1. Appraisal and Monitoring Mechanism
In general, each of the Five-Year Development Plans has had a built-in process of performance evaluation. Constant appraisal has generally ensured the dynamism, flexibility and feasibility of the continuous development process in the Sultanate of Oman. A thorough evaluation of the preceding Development Plans resulted in identification of the strengths and achievements of the development planning and implementation process, as well as of the failures, weaknesses and negative aspects. A comprehensive evaluation of the four previous Development Plans implemented from 1975–1995, which were conducted to inform the formulation of the Fifth Five-Year Plan (1996–2000), served as a model of evaluation methodology, and an example of the constructive utilization of both positive and negative findings and cumulative past learning experience for improving the design and implementation of future national Development Plans.
Measures taken to establish and institutionalize a credible and effective information base to inform policy analysis and the Planning Process included such major national enterprises as:
The Development process and evaluation methodology entailed: conducting several national studies designed to collect relevant and reliable information on pertinent aspects of the development process and implementation of the previous Five-Year Plans; developing procedures for reviewing the studies; and discussing the findings of the evaluation studies.
Preparation for the Vision for Oman’s National Economy: Oman 2020 – based upon sustainable development within a stable macroeconomic framework; a diversified, dynamic and globalized economy; advanced human resources development; and an efficient and competitive private sector – required numerous detailed reports on specific topics and subjects within each sector and sub-sector of the national economy. Detailed reports were also required on global changes influenced by the powerful forces of a rapidly emerging global economy, free trade, information society, cyber-economy and cyber-society.
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