Development Development, in its correct definition and obvious interpretation, means the advancement of society to achieve prosperity and immortality on the pages of history, or to acquire the vitality to move from one phase of development and prosperity to another.
How then will Qatar’s vision for development look and what will Qatar look like in future with regard to its education system?
The present era is critical and transitional, which requires overcoming difficulties with courage, determination and thoughts that are in tune with our times and requirements of the modern era.
The aforementioned facts make it easy for us to understand the decision of the Supreme Education Council to launch the ‘e-Bag’ project. The project seeks to help students download their curricula and homework, and interact with their teachers and schools using tablet PCs. These PCs are easy to use, regardless of their advanced operating system and ability to save an enormous amount of data.
The e-Bag project is significant as we desire to give priority to our children learning science and advancing knowledge. Fear, however, reigned supreme at the end of the day.
Nobody can deny the fact that we live in a society that has strayed far from the reading habit and the majority has abandoned books. It is sad that we are not readers and are content with what are called “snacks” — newspapers and magazines.
To speak the truth, I do not know where lie the roots of our not developing the reading habit. We see Westerners outperforming us in reading, and they have developed the habit of reading anywhere, including in railway stations, airports and cafes. I am not sure whether the problem is related to our education systems, which may be encouraging them and discouraging us. In other words, school curricula might have caused this dislike of reading, whereas school curricula in the West may be doing the opposite.
The question is if our way of education is behind our declining inclination to read, can the e-Bag project add insult to injury? How will the project affect handwriting if students get used to doing their homework with electronic devices instead of pen and paper? Rewriting is one of the most important and mandatory subjects during the early stages of education. Students are asked to rewrite sentences to develop their abilities of reading and writing. The subject also helps build the students’ information base in their brains. Writing has many benefits that we do not want electronic homework to nullify.
We already have a generation that does not read. We do not want the lack of writing skills to be added to this generation’s failings. This is a catastrophe that can befall the coming generations.
Brilliant and creative ideas such as the e-Bag must not erase old traditional methods practised by former generations in bygone times when science and knowledge flourished, such as the great era of Andalusia.
We need technology to keeps up with modernity, but one that does not do away with reading and writing. We need to imbibe knowledge so that a society of intellectuals and pioneers of science is created here. Only then will we reach the skies, take our position among these stars and shine brightly with light and knowledge, while a banner proudly radiates with the words “Here is Qatar” written on it.
