was instrumental in strengthening female students’ roles by developing their skills and ensuring they had opportunities equal to those of their male counterparts.
Major strides were made to increase Saudi Arabia’s international competitiveness in the field of education as well. After being at the bottom of the list in terms of education, we brought in the best instructors and trainers from countries with strong education backgrounds, such as Romania and Hungary, an d in just two years were able to improve the Kingdom’s ranking significantly in comparison to where it was previously. The remarkable institutional work and the teamwork spirit that came out of this effort culminated in the Nurturing Talent and Creativity and Supporting Innovation Strategy and implementation plan, which received international recognition. [46] On 19 th June 2013, we submitted a proposal to King Abdullah to establish an education city called Dar Al Qalam. The city’s slogan – “Read” ( I qra’ ) – comes from the Quran, emphasizing its dual focus on both Quranic memorization and styles of recitation. The art of Arabic calligraphy in its various styles, Arabic language phraseology, as well as dialogue and thought process development would also be taught at the city. These focus areas sought to develop the human qualities of ‘hearing, sight, and heart’ to stimulat e knowledge and cognitive development among the young generation. We also proposed that instruction in the city be a blend of traditional and modern methods and means. Madinah was selected as the hub and the starting point of the project, given that it was the city from which the message of Islam spread to al l parts of the globe. King Abdullah wanted the education city’s message to proliferate in a similar way, attracting students from throughout the Kingdom and enabling the exceptional among them to attend KAUST and other prestigious universities. The hope was that Dar Al Qalam would host model public schools that possess outstanding curricula and high-quality education, provided by an elite group of carefully selected educators. Given its historical and educational role, Taybah High School in Madinah – one of the most reputable high schools in the Kingdom – would be part the project and be turned into a model school. [47] We requested that a million-square-meter plot of land in Madinah near the new railway station be set aside as an endowment for the project. Through public-private partnerships, a portion of the land was set aside for investment purposes, the returns of which would go for the project’s endowment. Academic buildings will be built over several phases with the hope that, upon completion in the coming years, they will accommodate 10,000 students. In the final stages, accommodation will be built on campus. We were confident that the project would soon be a model replicated by philanthropists. As Prophet Mohammed, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “When a man dies, all of his deeds come to an end, except for three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, and a pious son who prays for him.” In 2013, Madinah was named the Capital of Islamic Culture. This was the perfect opportunity for me to announce the educational city was being built as a gift to public education and the first Islamic capital. It was at this time that a new form of partnership between the Tatweer companies, the private sector, and foreign partners began to crystalize. A new method of education based on four stages, each for four years, was also adopted. The system focused on early education – from two to five, and the second stage from six to nine – during which students were taught by female teachers using Modern Standard Arabic. From ages 10 to 13, special attention is paid to character building given that this age range generally coincides with puberty. The final stage, ages 14 to 17, focuses on job market needs, field studies, and personality development.
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