Arab region urged to bridge knowledge gap
UNDP OFFICIAL SAYS EXCEPT FOR UAE, OTHERS NEED TO CATCH UP
The Knowledge Summit called upon Arab countries to bridge the knowledge gap between the region and the rest of the world.
Addressing a session dedicated to discussing the results of the Global Knowledge Index 2018 at the Knowledge Arena at Dubai World Trade Centre, Khalid Abdul Shafi, director of the UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Arab States, said, “The knowledge gap between the Arab region and the rest of the world is huge.”
He said barring a few exceptions like the UAE, other countries have a lot of a catching up to do.
Listing the reasons for the knowledge gap, he said, “The quality of education in the Arab world needs improvement. There is too much spoon-feeding and memorisation and very little innovation. What is taught in the schools and colleges has little relevance to the requirements of the marketplace and economy. The youth must be more enthusiastic and actively participate in the learning process. Without them, the UN’s 2030 SDGs Agenda cannot be achieved.”
Jamal Bin Huwaireb, CEO of the Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, organiser of the two-day summit which concluded yesterday, said the progress of the summit since its inception in 2014 is itself an indicator of how the concept of knowledge is evolving in the region. “Everyone is talking about knowledge and the knowledge economy and people ask for our reports. We are reaping the benefits of the Arab Knowledge Project, launched in collaboration with the UNDP.”
He thanked the UNDP for making the foundation a global partner, even as the release of the Future of Knowledge: A Foresight Report coincides with the 10th anniversary of the Knowledge for All project which seeks to shape a new vision for the 2030 agenda within Arab states.
He said, “The UAE has jumped six spots to the 19th place on the Global Knowledge Index. Most countries have five or 10-year plans, but the UAE has chartered its course till 2071, working for the happiness of its people in the next 100 years. Long-term plans are important because the lifespan of ■ ■ countries
Bin Huwaireb said the UAE has a long-term vision that has ensured the country’s phenomenal progress in a short span of time. “The illiteracy rate just 40 years ago was 99 per cent, but look where we are today,” he said, referring to the less than one per cent rate currently.
Hany Torky, chief technical is measured by centuries.” adviser of the Arab Knowledge Project, said, “Three of the seven sub-indices in the Global Knowledge Index are focused on education. The platform we use to extract data for the ranking aggregates information from 150 million sources in 16 languages. We are proud the UAE is one of the seven countries that will lead the way in knowledge.”