The weapon of education

Nelson Mandela once said:

Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.” An inspirational phrase. But how can people use this weapon? And what is the battle they are fighting?

The enemy is unemployment. The way for the foot soldiers leaving education to sharpen their swords and be prepared for battle is through innovation, critical thinking and creativity. Otherwise they will be no more than robots, able to decant facts, but not to use those facts to help them survive.

The famous Jordanian businessman, Dr Kamel Shair, founder of world-wide engineering firm Dar Al-Handaseh wrote:

From the earliest age pupils should be helped to discover ideas and develop their minds. They should be encouraged to discuss, to debate and to learn how rational argument works. Sadly the opposite is true in the Arab countries. It is something that will have to change if Arab states are to progress successfully into the modern world.

How can this be done? Here are five suggestions:

• Link education to business: ensure that schools, colleges and universities are producing students with the skills, knowledge and other attributes that the private sector are seeking. There should be a keen and active dialogue between companies, educational establishments about the content and emphasis of the curriculum.

• Focus education on the practical more than the theoretical. Teach young people how to use information rather than to memorise it. Ensure that the curriculum, teaching methods and exams reward those who are able to think creatively rather than those who are good at rote-learning.

• Demonstrate that future job opportunities will be found through innovative small and medium enterprises in sectors that thrive on creativity, such as ICT and renewable energy. Facilitate access for SMEs to capital by making risk-taking fashionable and removing the taboo from failure.

• Celebrate success. There are plenty of Jordanian companies that have succeeded on the world stage through innovation: Rubicon who are making a film of Paul McCartney’s book; Petra Engineering who manufactured the new air-conditioning for the Empire State Building; and Jordan Chalk who have 55% of the world market in dustless chalk. They should be used as role-models for entrepreneurs.

• Pull all these strands into an integrated growth strategy based on innovation, linking funding for education, training and development and channelling policy towards high-value jobs that are sustainable and offer lasting opportunities for ambitious young people.

Making a success of such a strategy is not easy. It means challenging a whole series of traditional practices, vested interests and cultural perceptions. It means changing the exam system to focus on course work and practical skills. And it means parents encouraging their children to study the subjects that they are good at and which offer future jobs rather than forcing them into a career for the prestige of the family.

Harnessing a person’s natural talents is the best way to fulfil their potential.

These thoughts were on the agenda of the Second Arab Innovation Network Summit at the Dead Sea two weeks ago. This network was started by Arab students at that hotbed of research and innovation, Cambridge University.

It aims to make an impact by empowering young people though encouraging creative thinking. And it tries to bridge the gap between academic, governmental and private organisations by bringing together people from the Arab world who share a similar vision and want to do something about it.

There is plenty of ammunition in Jordan for those who want to steel themselves for the battle of employment: organisations like Injaz, Business Development Centre, Oasis 500 – all of which have benefitted from funds from the UK’s Arab Partnership Programme.

They offer young people targeted training to arm themselves for the future. Let’s hope these weapons will help to change their world.