Evaluating the status of gifted education in the Gulf cooperation Council Countries

Figures & data

Table 1. Demographic and background information for gifted education teachers

Gender	Male	53	44.16%
Major in college	Female	67	55.83%
	Education	50	41.66%
	Humanities	37	30.83%
	Science	13	10.83%
	Math	9	7.5%
	Gifted Education	11	9.16%
Age	Mean= 38.6	SD=11.3
The highest degree obtained	Bachelors	72	60%
	MA	28	23.33%
	Master	16	13.33%
	Doctoral	4	3.33%
GCC Countries	Saudi Arabia	40	33.3%
	Bahrain	18	15%
	UAE	20	16.67%
	Oman	18	15%
	Kuwait	14	11.67%
	Qatar	10	12%
Years of working with the gifted student	Mean= 7.7	SD= 9.2
Number of gifted Education courses taken	None	15	18%
	1–3 Courses	55	45.83%
	4 and above	50	41.66%

Table 2. Themes and Sub-themes of gifted education effectiveness

Question	Theme	Sub-themes
How effective is gifted education in your country?	Gifted education programs 40%	− Most gifted programs ignore other gifts in favor of emphasizing majors in mathematics, physics, and engineering. − No gifted schools exist. − No widely accepted definition of giftedness is acceptable in the GCC countries. − Preschoolers or children in the first three grades who are gifted do not receive any nurturing. −Gifted students are not supported at universities. − The programs offered to gifted female students were different from those offered to gifted male students. − The main enrichment strategy used by the majority of gifted programs is the pull-out program.
	Positive attitudes toward gifted education 25%	− Development of supportive attitudes toward caring for the gifted in society and among parents. − Increased enrollment in gifted programs could be detrimental to their objectives. − Increasing private and non-governmental support for the gifted.
	Gifted education services 20%	− Limited online education for gifted students, particularly during the Corona pandemic. Not all remote locations are covered by gifted programs. − Digital libraries and science laboratories are typically absent from gifted programs. − The inadequacy of educational curricula and teaching techniques to support gifted students. − A lack of counselors and psychologists to assist gifted students. − A lack of campgrounds or gyms
	National policy on gifted education. 15%	− There is a clear national policy on gifted education. − All GCC countries are equal in terms of having a clear vision, mission, and goals that reflect the policies and legislation developed to nurture the gifted. − Despite their progress, gifted programs fall short of world norms.

Table 3. Themes and Sub-themes of positive and negative aspects of gifted programs

Question	Themes	Sub-themes
What are the positive and negative aspects of programs offered for gifted learners?	Plans for programming 50%	There is a well-defined mechanism in place to assist gifted students. The Ministry of Education provides free gifted education programs to all students. Many learning resources, like the internet, libraries, and labs, were absent from gifted programs. A lack of coordination across GCC countries with gifted programs Many gifted programs are not actually implemented. The needs of gifted students’ future careers are unrelated to the gifted programs now in place. In gifted programs, gifted students’ physical and psychological well-being is neglected.
	Program evaluation 33%	Annual evaluations from the views of stakeholders, including parents, instructors, and talented students themselves, are rare in gifted education programs. Insufficient use of alternative assessment for the work of gifted students.
	Gifted definition 12%	There is no agreed-upon definition of a gifted student. There is a great difference in nomenclature among those working in the educational field for the term “gifted,” as it is called by several different names, for example, in Oman, it is called “glorious.”
	gifted education for twice exceptional 5%	No defined procedures to identify twice-exceptional students. Weakness of assessment twice- exceptional students’ giftedness. Weakness of assistive technology for twice-exceptional students.

Table 4. Themes and Sub-theme for teachers training of gifted students

Question	Themes	Sub-themes
Do gifted students’ teachers perceive sufficient training to meet gifted students’ needs in GCC countries	Preparing gifted students’ teachers in universities 50%	− Few universities give degrees in gifted education. − The majority of teachers who work with gifted students have areas of expertise outside of gifted education. −The bulk of teacher preparation programs at colleges in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries clearly lack curricula for gifted education.
	Training courses 30%	− There are few gifted education training courses available to teachers. − The majority of teachers of gifted students did not obtain training on specific types of giftedness in subjects other than those included in the regular curricula. − The relatively brief courses that teachers take after being qualified focus on general topics in the field of gifted education and thinking development.
	Teachers problems 20%	− Due to the numerous tasks and responsibilities they must complete, gifted teachers find it difficult to meet the needs of their gifted students. − Teachers aren’t given enough motivation and rewards.

Table 5. Themes and Sub-theme identification tools of gifted students

Question	Themes	Sub-themes
Are there validated and reliable tools and measurements for identifying gifted students in your country?	Insufficient assessment for gifted 67%	- A lack of assessment and identification tools. There is a significant shortage of people who are twice exceptionally gifted. - The nominations of teachers and parents were affected by racial and religious prejudices. - Regardless of the importance of early intervention in identifying gifted students, identification of gifted students begins at the beginning. - The university does not identify gifted students because the services offered to them terminate at the end of the upper secondary level. - The identification of twice-exceptional students still has a serious weakness. - In an era where contemporary technology predominated, it was not adapted or used to nurture and attract gifted students.
	Gifted dents identification tools 33%	- Saudi Arabia adopts a sophisticated and objective system of identification tests for gifted students that is updated and developed in cooperation between Qiyas and Mawhiba. - Numerous individual attempts are being made to develop and construct both individual and group tools to identify and assess the gifted.

Table 6. Displayed the criteria for gifted education for each country in GCC

Criteria	Saudi Arabia	Bahrain	UAE	Oman	Kuwait	Qatar
The national definition of giftedness	✔
A clear national policy for gifted programs	✔	✔
Formal and government support for gifted students	✔	✔	✔	✔
Sufficient identification tools and assessment of gifted students	✔			✔
Early identification of gifted students
Financial support for gifted students from private companies			✔		✔
Future careers are unrelated to the gifted programs now in place.	-	-	-	-	-	-
Annual evaluations of gifted programs from the viewpoints of stakeholders	-	-	-	-	-	-