Education & Health
From The Report: Oman 2013
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The creation of a public education system capable of equipping Omanis for a modern economy has been at the centre of government policy for decades, and the private sector has thrived since the 1970s. Yet, more recently, the sector has seen a similar expansion of investment at the tertiary level, combined with an increasing amount of research activity. This new phase of expansion is underpinned by the latest five-year plan, which outlines a 48% increase over the previous plan in terms of sector spending, for the development of some 15 new schools, 32 expansion projects and 65 extensions to meet the growth of student numbers by 2015. Private schools, meanwhile, have continued to benefit from the presence of an expatriate community, which grew 32% between 2003 and 2010, and is expected to continue increasing. In health, meanwhile, growing investment in the sector has resulted in improving health indicators, and the government is working to encourage the public to participate in health care provision.

This chapter includes an interview with Rawya Saud Al Busaidi, Minister of Higher Education.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Speedy progression: All levels of the sector have grown at an extraordinary rate
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The creation of a public education system capable of equipping Omanis for a modern economy has been at the centre of government policy for decades. Meanwhile, the private sector that has thrived in Oman since the 1970s has, in recent years, seen a similar expansion of investment at tertiary level that, combined with an increasing amount of research activity, makes Oman’s education arena one of the most dynamic in the region. Rapid Development The development of Oman’s education system mirrors…

Analysis

Vocational needs: Technical training institutions are on the rise to meet labour demands
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As a source of technical knowledge and skills, the six regional colleges of technology and one higher college of technology run by Oman’s Ministry of Manpower perform a crucial role with respect to the nation’s labour market. The diplomas, higher diplomas and bachelor’s degrees they offer have enabled Omanis to engage with the new technologies that the sultanate’s expanding economy has embraced, and many nationals working in the frontline disciplines such as the production of oil derivatives,…

Analysis

Looking into it: A greater emphasis is placed on government and private research
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The rapidly rising level of research activity in the Omani education sector brings a number of challenges, one of the most salient being how best to monitor the increasing array of research programmes being introduced by the sultanate’s Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). An oversight capability of this nature is key to developing a cogent national research effort that addresses the needs of local industry and the goals established by the Vision 2030 strategy. To some extent this task is carried…

Analysis

The new standard: E-learning options are being adopted by several institutions
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A rapidly rising student population has resulted in growing pressure on educational infrastructure. One response to this challenge seen in other jurisdictions is an increase in the provision of e-learning, a diverse sub-sector that encompasses activities including web-based training and teaching systems, learning management software, discussion boards, computer-aided assessment, simulation and online conferencing. In Oman, e-learning services is at an early stage of its development, but a number…

Interview

OBG talks to Rawya Saud Al Busaidi, Minister of Higher Education
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Interview: Rawya Saud Al Busaidi What strategy has been developed to ensure international standards and quality assurance within Oman’s higher education sector? RAWYA SAUDAL BUSAIDI: Currently, all private higher education institutions (HEIs) in Oman are required to enter into agreements with reputed international HEIs for the purpose of quality assurance and monitoring. These agreements typically include curriculum development at an international standard. The Oman Academic Accreditation…

Overview

Vital signs: Massive investment into the sector has resulted in vastly improved health indicators
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The rapid expansion of health care facilities in Oman is one of the most visible results of the modernisation programme enacted by Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said on his accession to power over four decades ago. In 1970 just two 12-bed hospitals and 10 clinics served the needs of a population with a life expectancy of only 49 years. Massive investment over the intervening period has resulted in a public health care system with extensive facilities distributed throughout Oman’s five regions and four…

Analysis

Endowment funding: The government comes up with a creative way for citizens to participate in health care provision
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As the Ministry of Health (MOH) establishes its long-term development strategy for the sector, the question of alternative funding sources has risen to the fore – and a recent health care summit in Muscat provided a useful forum for discussion on the subject. Making Improvements The “International Conference on Health Vision 2050” was staged by the MOH with two clear objectives in mind: to review the health system in the sultanate of Oman and to establish a policy to meet the health needs…