June 18, 2004

BUILDING HUMAN BEINGS IN OMAN IS THE DEAREST WEALTH. THIRTY THREE YEARS OF DEEP INTEREST IN EDUCATION. SULTAN QABOOS UNIVERSITY: A SCIENTIFIC EDIFICE AND A CENTER FOR ENLIGHTMENT. GREAT STEPS ON THE ROAD OF OMANISING TEACHING STAFF. The Omani Government has taken pains to ensure that the population of the Sultanate is capable of sustaining a good standard of living. Outsiders to Oman are astounded by the tremendous development the country has undergone since the accession of His Majesty, Sultan Qaboos, to the throne. The Sultan sets 'Five-Year Plans' to cater for social and economic improvements which target particular areas such as education, health, housing, the economy, trade & industry, agriculture, communications, youth, women's interests, information, tourism and environment. These plans are objectively designed and paced to match the country's requirements. EDUCATION The rate of school construction prior to 1970 averaged one school every 19 years. The first school in Oman was built in 1914, followed by a second in 1940, with the Saidiya School in Muscat. A sister Saidiya School was established in Salalah in 1959. This was the last school to be built in Oman before the Renaissance. Within the first five months of Sultan Qaboos' reign, 16 primary schools were opened to educate over 9500 pupils, a 433% increase in the number of schools and a 662% increase in the number of scholars. For the first time in Oman, girls were able to receive education. By the end of 1985, educational institutions were present in all regions of the Sultanate. Figures as at the end of the 1998/99 academic year state that there are now 968 schools throughout the country, covering primary, preparatory and secondary levels of education. During the 1998/99 academic year, there were over 271,000 male students and over 257,000 female students attending schools from primary level to secondary level throughout the Sultanate. In 1976, the first teacher training college was opened, which, in 1977, underwent a comprehensive modernisation programme. In 1989, three teacher training colleges were opened in Nizwa, Sohar and Ibri, with a further five opened in Muscat, Salalah, Sur and Rustaq. The Omani Government firmly believes that the development of the country is dependent upon its human element, rather than its material element. To this end, in 1989, the Government established a Ministry of Education and vocational training centres which teach aspects of skilled labour, engineering, health sciences and finance. In November 1982, the foundation stone for the Sultan Qaboos University was laid and in the academic year 1986/87, it received its first intake of pupils. Initially, the University had five colleges: education, Islamic studies, medicine, engineering and agriculture. Today, there are seven colleges which offer degrees in 52 different subjects. Each year, the University reserves seven places for students from each of the GCC countries. They are selected in their home country and are required to submit the appropriate papers in order to register. The College of Education and Islamic Sciences is the University's largest college and has an extensive list of specialist subjects. It is geared mainly to train a new generation of teachers broadly qualified outside the narrow confines of academic thinking. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION Education has been a major government priority since 1970. In recent years the Basic Education system has been introduced and improvements made to the syllabi at all levels so that they are linked to the demands of the labour market and thereby enabling society to keep pace with modern developments in the world at large. The rapid progress achieved in education by the Sultanate of Oman is reflected in reports by international organizations including the UNESCO (2001) and the World Bank (2001). DEVELOPMENTS IN EDUCATION There are currently 1, 022 schools in Oman, including three special education schools, with a total of nearly 600,000 male and female pupils. In the coming year 2003 2004 a modernised Omani curriculum for the kindergarten stage will be introduced in all private schools, while several other educational projects have already been implemented. Nearly 300 schools are teaching the two stages of the Basic Education System, which aims to develop the pupil's abilities. Independent and analytical thinking is encouraged and curricula focus on the individual student's needs. The syllabi is constantly being updated and textbooks reviewed, and several new subjects have been introduced into the school curriculum to reflect modern trends. In the past year, a number of new textbookds have been written for Basic Education schools and for primary, preparatory and secondary schools. Teaching staff are fully involved in the development process. PRIVATE SCHOOLS The government encourages the private sector to invest in education. Since 1977, 132 private schools have been opened. These follow three district programmes which follow an Omani syllabus, the bilingual programme in which selected subjects are taught in English, and the English Language syllabi in which schools can introduce their own programmes. The Basic Education system has bee adopted in 82 private schools. ERADICATION OF ILLITERACY Major priorities are the Sultanate's literary and adult education programmes, begun in 1998 to teach adults from 15 44 years of age to read and write. In 2002 2003 there were 375 literacy classes with over 6,000 students. Annually the government honours those contributing to literacy programmes, as well as graduates from these programmes who have subsequently completed university studies. Secondary school graduates have now been enlisted and trained to teach literacy classes in the remote regions, and adult education centers have been set up with free reading material to enable the newly literate to continue their education. As an acknowledgement of its achievements in this area, the Sultanate was the recipient of the Arab Education, Culture and Science Organisation's first prize for services to the eradication of illiteracy. Arab Literacy Day and World Literacy Day are celebrated every year. SPECIAL EDUCATION In 1974 1975 a Special Education section was set up for Omanis with special learning needs. While some were initially sent to study in other countries, there are now institutes in Oman for the deaf, dumb and blind and for those with learning difficulties. The private Amal Institute for the Blind, with boarding facilities, was opened in January 2002. Around 600 students are currently being taught at special education schools, and blind people between the ages of 11 and 35 are now accepted in literacy classes. In an experimental system, students with learning difficulties in certain subjects are being taught in regular schools in some regions. TEACHER TRAINING Through ongoing efforts towards Omanisation, over 76% of the Sultanate's teachers and over 97% of administrative and supervisory staff are now Omanis. The government is currently seeking to implement programmes to upgrade the qualifications of teachers and technical and administrative staff to BA level. In 2002, training programmes were held for employees, and in-service training centers have been set up in most of the Sultanate's educational regions. There has been a steady increase in the number of training programmes for teachers and supervisors in the Basic Education system. Some members of staff are enrolled on BA, MA and PhD degree courses, and school principals and inspectors are studying at Sultan Qaboos University for higher diplomas in school administration and inspection. THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT HEALTH AND HYGIENE The School Environment Health and Hygiene has been held annually since 1991 and the Sultan's Cup is awarded to the winning region. HIGHER EDUCATION In the 70s and early 80s higher studies were only available through overseas scholarships, which were thus crucial in producing trained and qualified Omani personnel. However in 1994 the government addressed the crucial need for higher education and the expansion of numbers and scope of higher educational institutions, both government and private, to meet the needs of the labour markets. HIGHER EDUCATION COUNCIL The Higher Education Council was set up by Royal Decree no 65/98 to draw up a general policy for higher education and scientific research in the Sultanate's higher educational institutions and to regulate student numbers and intake procedures. It is also responsible for evaluating the performance of existing institutions and approving proposals for new private universities. THE ACCREDITATION BOARD The Accreditation Council was set up by Royal Cecree no 74/01. The Board is an independent body responsible to the Higher Education Council Three permanent committees make recommendations on accreditation of higher education institutions, accreditation of higher education institutions, accreditation of programmes of study and quality control. HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS Higher educational institutions began to appear in the sultanate in the early 1980s with the establishment of the Omani Institute of Bankers (currently the Institute of Banking and Financial Studies) in 1983 and the Intermediate Teachers' Colleges (currently Colleges of Education) in 1984. The Technical Industrial College (currently the Higher Technical College) was opened in the same year to provide specialist vocational qualifications. Health institutes were also established to train Omani nurses, radiographers, physiotherapists and dental hygienists to work in the government hospitals. The former Institute of Sharia Jurisprudence, Counsel and Guidance has been divided into the Institute of Sharia Sciences for boys of 13- 18 years and the Sharia Law College. The private sector became involved in higher education during the second half of 1990s and there are at present fourteen private colleges and one university, the University of Sohar. SULTAN QABOOS UNIVERSITY Sultan Qaboos University is the realization of the promise announced by His. Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said during the 10th anniversary of Oman's National Day in 1980. Construction started in 1982 and the first Sultan Qaboos University students were enrolled in 1986. In accordance with the Royal Directives the University commenced with five colleges; namely Medicine, Engineering, Agriculture, Education and Science. The College of Arts was opened in 1987, and a College of Commerce and Economics was opened in 1993. The design and construction of the campus was carried out with great attention to the fulfillment of these objectives, with the overall appearance of the buildings carefully planned to accommodate the physical, intellectual, and spiritual needs of students, faculty and staff. Set in a valley beneath the stark panorama of the nearby foothills of the Oman Mountains, the University is a tasteful array of buildings designed with arches and courtyards and constructed in white and pink sandstone in a manner that reflects traditional Omani and Islamic architecture. The University was constructed on an axis in the valley with one end aligned toward Mecca. This axis line starts at the gates of entrance to the University, runs through the Administration Building with its massive Omani doors, and extends uninterrupted through the middle of the academic buildings to the University Mosque at the western end of the campus. The Mosque, with its large dome and minarets, is situated on the higher ground of the campus, and is visible from many points within and around the University. During the design period, the University landscaping was carefully considered and the original plantings have since become verdant gardens and flower beds. The plantings include species, native to Oman and other Gulf regions, that grow and flourish in an arid environment. The landscaping provides shade from the sun, shelter against the wind, and splendid display of colour from flowers and foliage throughout the year. The traditional Islamic separation of the sexes is maintained in the architecture of the University. There is separate access to buildings through lower and upper walkways for men and women and separate seating in the classrooms. Altogether, the campus portrays the rich heritage of Oman and Islam while incorporating all the efficiencies of modern life. The result is an educational and living environment which is both functional and attractive. POST GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCH AND RESEARCH CENTERS Sultan Qaboos University provides outstanding support and services for the researchers. The financial and moral support is in the form of HM Grants Funds, Internal Funds, External Funds, Contacts, Consultancy and Services. Research activities cover many areas that demanded and highly important to the society. SQU offers many exciting opportunities and provides a range of services to the local industry. EXTERNAL RELATIONS: The office facilitates and encourages external participations and in building strong bonds with local, regional and international Universities and research centers and institutions with an objective of putting SQU on the world map of scientific research and postgraduate studies. INNOVATION: The office encourages innovations and publication and ensures both staff and student's intellectual property protection. POSTGRADUATE STUDIES: Sultan Qaboos University provides outstanding support and services for its postgraduate students. Postgraduate provision is designed to be of high quality and of direct relevance to Omani Society. Whether students are planning to study full-time or part-time, and wherever they are in their career, our postgraduate programs seek to meet their academic and professional development needs. Taught courses at Sultan Qaboos University offer students an excellent foundation that support the research activity needed to graduate from our postgraduate program. Students benefit from the close relationship developed between our taught courses, industrial research needs and research conducted at the University, where our research feeds directly into and benefits our teaching. RESEARCH CENTERS: Sultan Qaboos University has established eight research centers, with objection for some to conduct research where the others to coordinate multi-disciplinary research and services to the industry and society at large. The university hosts 1. Oil and Gas Research Center 2. Water Research Center 3. Communication and Information Research Center 4. Remote Sensing Research Center 5. Center of Environmental Studies and Research 6. Center for Omani Studies 7. Earthquake Monitoring Center 8. Joint Virtual Reality for Carbonate Studies SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATION: Sultan Qaboos University encourages publications that market the University knowledge and findings. The University publishes four Scientific publications namely: 1. Journal for Medical Science 2. Journal for Scientific Research 3. Journal for Engineering Research 4. Journal for Agricultural and Marine Sciences COLLEGES OF EDUCATION The six colleges of education (located around the country) provide Omani teachers with comprehensive university level training that covers all relevant professional, educational and cultural areas. The colleges of education have an intake of over 2000 students per year. In the 2002 2003 academic year 8529 male and female students enrolled. They included 480 male and female teachers with intermediate diplomas studying for BA degrees. In 2002 the Colleges of Education employed some 926 male and female personnel. More that 50 students are currently on post-graduate scholarships abroad. The colleges staff is expected to rise to around 20% by the end of the Sixth Five-Year Plan. THE SHARIA AND LAW COLLEGE The Sharia and Law College was established in 1997 to train personnel in Sharia sciences, Islamic and legal studies to fill posts created by the reform of the judiciary and auxiliary bodies such as the Public Prosecutor's Office, the clerks of the courts and the legal profession. Other factors such as foreign investments and the Sultanate's entry into the World Trade Organization agreement influenced the need for legal and judicial expertise. It consists of three main departments: the Islamic Sharia Department, the Law Department and Usul Al Din (Fundamentals of Religion) and Islamic Culture Department. The College awards BA degrees in both Isalmic Sharia and the law. MILITARY HIGHER EDUCATION Military Higher Education Institutions are the police college at the Sultan Qaboos Academy for Police Sciences in Nizwa, the Royal Air force of Oman's technical training Institutes, the Royal Guard of Oman Technical College and the Institute of Topographical Sciences. PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES, COLLEGES AND HIGHER INSTITUTES Oman has invited the private sector to establish universities, colleges and institutes, supervised by the Ministry of Higher Education. By 2001/2, the private sector had set up twelve private universities and university colleges: Sohar University The College of Administrative Sciences (renamed as Majan College) The Modern College of Business and Science Muscat College of Modern Sciences and Technology The Caledonian College of Engineering The National College of Science and Technology Mazoon College of Administration and Applied Sciences The Fire Safety Engineering College Al Zahra College for Girls Oman Medical College Sur University College Waljat University College Most private academic institutions have links with recognised outside bodies to ensure high standards and enables private colleges to award recognised qualifications. The student intake of private colleges rose from 2,079 students in 1999/2000 to 5,496 in 2001/2. TECHNICAL EDUCATION Technical education is a government priority, to meet market demand for trained manpower. The number of Higher Technical Industrial Colleges increased from just one in Muscat in 1984, to five around the country by 1993, when the government converted vocational training institutes in Nizwa, al Musana'ah, Ibra and Salalah into technical colleges. Oman's technical colleges launched the Omani National Diploma (OND) programme in 1999, a programme that offers intensive theoretical and practical training, to provide scientific and technical skills. The OND programme trains young Omanis as technicians, and graduates can obtain higher certificates. A short BA programme is to launch at the Higher Technical College in Muscat soon. Technical colleges offer a range of disciplines to meet industrial sector demand for technical qualifications. The main subjects offered under the OND programme are mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, business studies and information technology, architecture and science. The OND programme is taught in English. During 2001/2, 2,204 male and female students joined the five TICs. VOCATIONAL TRAINING Vocational training provides manpower with technical qualifications and skills. It contributes to Omanisation and helps to fulfil Oman's manpower requirements. Oman's current five-year plan and the 2020 Vision of Oman's Economic Future provide for vocational training to meet demand for special skills. In 1999 Omani Vocational Qualifications (OVQ) were launched, linking training to demand for skilled and semi-skilled manpower. Training takes place at vocational training centres in Seeb, Saham, Sur and Ibri. In 2001/2, these centres took in 1,841 trainees. Between 1994/5 and 2000/1, they produced 4,730 semi-skilled graduates and 2,574 skilled graduates. The subjects included motor vehicle mechanics, carpentry, electricity, general mechanics and building construction. The government has tried to ensure that the government and private vocational training sectors complement each other. Training courses based on the National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) system have been introduced at training centres with certificates awarded by British institutions. The 164 private institutes and centres offer training in technical, vocational and administrative disciplines. The courses include the NVQ and National Projects, where the student pays for his or her own tuition or wins state support. The NVQ system was introduced in 1996 and National Projects in 1998. OMANI NATIONAL VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS (ONVQ) This system has five levels, from basic to upper management or advanced vocational skills. Each Omani National Vocational Qualification consists of units, each representing a component of the job the student is qualifying for. Tutors evaluate the student's performance and on-the-job potential. By 2000, 12,213 men and 4,748 women had enrolled on ONVQ courses at private institutes. Training and employing Omanis is an urgent government priority. The Ministry of Manpower has drawn up a plan of action to improve the performance of government departments, planning, training and employment services for citizens and make it a priority to employ nationals to replace expatriate labour. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT The government oversees 212 welfare bodies around the country, which provide Omani citizens with the resources that they need for a decent, comfortable life. The state pays monthly benefits to people with disabilities, the elderly, widows, divorced women and other groups covered by the Social Security Law. It also provides practical and financial aid for victims of natural disasters or other misfortunes. During 2001, RO 1,794,585 was paid out a month to 45,649 social security claimants. Emergency aid was given in cash or in kind to victims of natural disasters and those in need of assistance or relief following a catastrophe. To reduce the cost of social security, subsidies and training for people on low incomes to run their own businesses are offered and officials approved 172 projects during 2001, of which 17 were handed over, 107 were withdrawn and 48 are operating efficiently. Training in crafts and traditional Omani industries is provided and the government promotes them at local exhibitions and outside Oman. The biggest training scheme teaches dressmaking and needlework to Omani girls. In 2001, 190 girls joined courses on embroidery, needlework and dressmaking. The traditional public meeting place, sabla, is the social centre of the Omani village. People meet to discuss local affairs, and celebrate weddings and other events. In 2001, 32 sabla building projects were supported by the government. Charitable and other initiatives from public and private sector institutions are encouraged.. In 2001, four non-government associations, four professional associations and two friendly societies were launched. Foreign communities can form social and cultural associations and at present there are six social clubs (and two club branches) for expatriate communities living in Oman. WOMEN'S DEVELOPMENT The Omani Women's Associations (OWA) were formed to recruit women for voluntary social work and give them a greater role in the country's development. Today, 27 local OWA groups have 2,965 active members. Women's groups run lectures, seminars, exhibitions, workshops and training courses. The Women's Voluntary Work Co-ordination Committee encourages women to take up voluntary work, co-ordinates women's associations around the country and encourages women to take part in activities. Women's training centres and rural development centres offer support in wilayats where there are no Omani Women's Associations. There are 17 such centres, which offer a range of social, cultural and economic programmes to promote social development. In 2001 3,817 women attended these women's centres. An additional 14 rural centres in remote regions provide training in crafts and traditional industries such as home-made foodstuffs, and other social and development programmes. Public education programmes provide families with general advice and support. A social database is being completed on the needs of women and their children, as a reference tool for future plans and projections of social welfare needs. Field studies are also being carried out on social phenomena to combat anti-social behaviour. The 41 kindergartens attached to the Omani Women's Associations and women's training centres have 1,544 pupils. A further 32 infant schools had 2,959 pupils in 2001/2. The Children's Care Home provides social care, shelter and sustenance for children needing care and protection. Thirty private sector day nurseries cater for 1,346 children. In 2002 new initiatives were studied, including the prevention of begging, community projects and research on social development, creating a children's sector programme and training of volunteers to carry out social and community work. HEALTH The mission of the Ministry of Health is to enhance the health and well being of all the people of Oman by ensuring the availability of comprehensive health services throughout the Sultanate. In order to attain and sustain the highest possible level of health, MOH cooperates and collaborate with other social and economic sectors, for protecting and promoting the health of the people in their bid to achieve a better quality of life. The Ministry of Health shares with the people, the responsibility for achieving a state of health, which will permit them to lead a socially and economically productive life. The Sultanate of Oman's achievement in the health sector, in a relatively short span of three decades, have been appreciated by the people of Oman and recognized by the international community. The Ministry of Health, through its five-year health development plans, is further improving its health care infrastructure, creating new institution and new programmes to fulfill the unmet needs and to meet new threats from emerging health problems. Since 1970 the Sultanate of Oman has made great strides in developing its health services, leading to striking improvements in the country's public health. The quality of Oman's health care has been praised by international organizations such as the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the United Nations Development Fund. In 1970 the government was responsible for providing most of the country's health services, and for the next ten years was solely responsible for the populations' basic health care. Today it provides 87% of the country's hospitals and hospitals beds, as well as 90% of outpatient services and 90% of inpatient services. In 2002, 98% of children in the government's target group were inoculated against polio, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and measles as part of a series of health programmes designed to reduce the incidence of contagious diseases. The Sultanate has now been polio-free for the ninth successive year and no case of diphtheria has been recorded since 1992. Measles fell to five confirmed cases in 2002, compared with 1,262 in 1990. At present the government operates 48 hospitals, of which 13 are referral hospitals. At the end of 2002 these had 4,455 beds. The referral hospitals are equipped to provide high quality specialized outpatient and inpatient services in such areas as internal diseases, surgery, paediatrics, gynaecology and obstetrics, orthopaedics, eye, ear, nose and throat (ENT) diseases, dermatology and oral health. They also have disease and tissue diagnostics clinics, laboratories and radiography departments. In addition, most health regions have wilayat and local hospitals providing patients with some specialist secondary health care services. The hospitals still provide primary health care services through the specialist outpatient clinics, which received 10 million visits in 2002. The rise in the number of outpatients and inpatients was paralleled by an increase in laboratory, radiography and dentistry services. In 2002 some 221,000 cases were treated at hospital inpatient departments and 95,000 surgical operations carried out. Before 1970 there were fewer than a hundred people employed in the health sector and only 13 doctors. By the end of 2002 there were 17,740 people including 2,497 doctors and 7,057 nurses working in government institutions. Some 58% of the total personnel were Omanis. Prior to 1970, there were no state hospitals except for a small number of health centres containing a maximum capacity of 12 beds. Preventative medicine was non-existent, and diseases were spread rapidly due to contaminated water supplies and lack of sewerage systems. Times have changed rapidly over the last 30 years, and reports by the United Nations have declared Oman as being amongst the world's leading countries in preventative medicine. By the end of 1998, there were 47 hospitals throughout the Sultanate, providing almost 4500 beds. The Health Education Department of the Ministry of Health frequently launches extensive campaigns concerning the likes of breast-feeding, family spacing, anti-smoking and healthy eating. In addition, a National Health Programmes Bureau has been established to supervise three major projects: the Expanded Vaccinations Programme; the Tuberculosis Prevention Programme; and the Blindness Prevention Programme. The Ministry of Health has also worked in conjunction with other Ministries to set up a number of specialist committees such as: the Drinking Water Committee; the Environmental Health Committee; the National Committee for the Prevention of Malaria; and the National Authority for the Health of Woman and Child. Hospitals The Governorate of Muscats' main hospitals are: the Royal, Khoula, Al Nhada, and Sultan Qaboos University hospital, which provides highly specialized medical care and operate as referral hospitals for the whole of the Sultanate. The Royal Hospital is a specialised referral health establishment with the latest technology. Its departments provide treatment for internal diseases, as well as paediatrics, gynaecology and maternity services, and treatment for diseases of the urinary tract. The hospital carries out surgical operations and medical interventions involving advanced and modern technology such as nuclear medicine, kidney and other organ transplants, and cardiac operations. Its inpatient wards have a maximum capacity of 632 beds. The Khoula hospital is the Sultanate referral hospital for cases from orthopaedic surgery, neurosurgery, cosmetic surgery and burns departments. This 428 bed hospital also has maternity, gynaecology and physiotherapy departments. Khoula was equipped with the latest MRI scanner in early 2003. The Al Nahda Hospital, with 95 beds specializes in ENT surgery, Eye surgery and treatment, as well as jaw, gum and dental surgery and treatment, dermatology and nervous diseases. The 500 bed Sultan Qaboos University Hospital is one of the Sultanate leading hospitals. It is fully equipped to train students of the University's College of Medicine and Health Sciences and in addition offers services to the Omani community. Uniquely in the Sultanate the hospital possesses the equipment for the analysis and study of cell flow at its haematology laboratory. It also has MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scanning equipment. The Ibn Sina Hospital has 51 beds and specializes in psychiatric and nervous disorders. Other hospitals in the Governorate of Muscat include the Armed forces and Royal Oman Police hospitals, Al Ramha hospital, Quriayt hospital, Bausher Polyclinic, Wattayah Polyclinic (gynaecology and maternity) and 21 health centres. There are also two private hospitals in the Muscat areas: the Shatti in Qurm and Muscat Private Hospital in Bowshar in addition to a number of private clinics. The Sultan Qaboos Hospital in Salalah is the principal referral hospital for the Governorate of Dhofar and has over 450 beds serving the provincial population. Additionally, it offers specialist treatment in most of the medical disciplines. In the Dhakhilya region, there are six hospitals and 10 health centres, Sharqiyah has 10 hospitals and 11 health centres, in Batinah there are 10 hospitals and seven health centres, in Dhahirah there are five hospitals and 12 health centres, in Musandam there are three hospitals and three health centres and in Al Wusta there are two hospitals and seven health centres.