The Arab strategy for distance education: a review of the ALECSO 2005 proposal and its current implications

ABSTRACT

The global knowledge, technological, and communication revolutions underway today have affected education systems in the Arab world and prompted these countries to reconsider strategies and policies related to distance learning. The responses from Arab educational institutions after the outbreak of COVID-19 have also created the need to re-evaluate the content and significance of the Arab Distance Learning Strategy issued by the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) in 2005. The current study reviews and analyses this strategy in terms of its objectives, content, and its relevance today in these Arab countries. The analysis shows that despite the importance of such a strategy, the original document merely offers guidance, presented as a proposal to persuade decision-makers at the national level to adopt distance education in parallel with face-to-face education. Both the strategy and the plan of execution detailed in the document focus on theoretical issues related to distance education and do not include specific mechanisms that could measure the goals put forth. However, the proposal remains relevant today, and, considering the ongoing response to COVID-19, educational systems and institutions in Arab countries should consider this strategic guidance as they continue to build national policies for distance learning.

KEYWORDS:

• Distance education
• the Arab world
• COVID-19 and education
• ALECSO
• education policies

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. The Arab world refers to a group of 22 Arab countries that are members of the League of Arab States, a regional organisation established in 1945 with the aim of coordinating political, economic, social, and cultural issues among member states (League of Arab States, 2021).

2. The ALECSO is concerned with coordinating efforts among member states (of the League of Arab States) in the fields of education, culture, and science, contributing to building a knowledge society; developing education; encouraging scientific research; and proposing cultural, educational, and scientific agreements and treaties between member states. Its establishment was officially announced in 1970 (ALECSO, 2021).

3. ALECSO has issued the strategy documents in Arabic, and there is currently no English version of the same. The excerpts presented in this article have been translated by the researchers.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Mohammed Ali K. Al-Belushi

Mohammed Ali K. Al-Belushi has an MA from the University of Liverpool and a PhD from the University of Birmingham. His research focuses on archaeological resource management and heritage studies. He has served as dean of the College of Arts and Social Sciences and head of the Archaeology Department at Sultan Qaboos University. [email protected]

Nawal Ahmed Al-Hooti

Nawal Ahmed Al-Hooti is a quality specialist at the Ministry of Education in Oman. She has a PhD in Educational Leadership from the College of Education, Sultan Qaboos University. Her research focuses on academic leadership, continuous improvement, and academic accreditation. [email protected]