Education and Beyond in the Middle East

As this semester is rapidly coming to an end, and exam week just around the corner, I began to wonder what it would be like to go to school in a different country, and if they have exam weeks like we do here in America. I wanted to connect this thought to class so I researched education systems in the Middle East. I found that schools and universities are producing graduates, but there is still a high unemployment rate in the Middle East and Northern African (MENA) region. I found this website that compares unemployment rates in countries around the world if you want to check that out. 

The idea that the education system in the Middle East is behind is a common idea, but it has progressively gotten better, but other factors have contributed to the growing unemployment rates. Some other factors include bad management and bad economy. Education is not the only thing needed in the job market, people also need to gain professional training. According to a study done by a poll in February of 2015, Education and Innovation in the Middle East found that 73% of those polled felt that their country’s school system was stifling their creativity while 42% thought that the education system needs to adapt through innovation with the changing times. A study conducted in February of 2014, Millennials in the Middle East, found that Millennials believe that unemployment is a major issue and that only 38% said that their education has prepared them for the workplace completely. These statistics surprised me as I would not have thought as many people’s education backgrounds would not apply to their jobs. After reading all this, it made me realize that although all these final exams and projects may suck now, I will probably be able to find a job after college and that is the main goal.