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Riyadh: The sixth National Dialogue Forum in Al Jouf concluded with a call to revise school and university curriculums with a greater emphasis on technical education and vocational training to meet the requirements of the labour market.
The participants also stressed the importance of introducing drastic educational reforms according to a set timetable. They wrapped up the three-day event on Thursday with recommendations to improve primary, higher, vocational and technical education. Up to 130 academics, government officials and businessmen participated in this year's dialogue, which focused on education.
They underlined the need to ensure involvement of the private sector in developing technical education and providing students with proper training.
The delegates were united in their view that a lack of proper coordination among educational institutions was a major handicap for the development of the country's educational system.
Dr Ali Al Hakami stressed the absence of coordination among educational institutions. Saudi businesswoman Ulfat Gabani said general education and university programmes in the kingdom were incompatible with local market requirements.
She said the Saudi labour market needed 60,000 pharmacists, while all the universities in the kingdom produced 100 pharmacists a year.
"It is high time for us to redesign higher education programmes in a way to suit the requirement of the local market as well as upgrading and promoting the quality of training in specialisations most needed in the market."
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