Proceedings of the 10th International Academic Conference, Vienna

SAUDI HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS – RECIPIENTS, AGENTS OR PARTNERS IN IMPLEMENTATION OF SAUDI EDUCATION REFORMS? A CASE STUDY EXPLORING SAUDI HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS.

ALHASAN ALLAMNAKARAH

Abstract:

Within the context of the national education reform, the King Abdullah Education Development Project (Tatweer Project) of 2007 -2013 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia mandated the most important unprecedented leading comprehensive public educational development reform with four main components of (i) enhancing high school teachers’ teaching methods and strategies; (ii) improving high school curriculum; (iii) developing high school activities; and (iv) improving high school facilities and infrastructure. The first two former components – the two intended outcomes of the project, are directly related to Saudi higher school teachers who carry out the teaching activities in Saudi classrooms all over the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This study, following Fullan (2006, 2010)’s theory of actions for whole system improvement in education, investigated the grassroots implementation level of Saudi high school education reforms, particularly Saudi high school teachers’ perspectives on the Tatweer project’s first two intended outcomes of enhancing high school teachers’ teaching methods and strategies and improving high school curriculum. Using a quantitative research method, the study surveys 210 Maths and Science high school teachers in 7 Saudi educational departments where the Tatweer project has been targeting at. The study reveals that an effective education reform that enhances teachers’ skills and improves curriculum need to be based on teachers’ engagement by their being both change agents and active partners, rather than being passive recipients in the education reform. The study’s findings provides both theoretical and practical insights for policy makers and decision makers on how improvements in implementations might be made for a more effective system wide and transformational education reform in Saudi Arabia. Going forward, the study highlights the need for revising the Tatweer’s project aim as well as its implementation practice for the reform’s Kingdom-wide success. The study’s findings have significant implications for similar countries that are striving for more effective education reform/change.

Keywords: education reform, teachers' perceptions

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