Kick-off Workshop: Curriculum Development in Yemen
Nine members of the Yemeni curriculum core group took part in the workshop.
Speaking at the opening, Dr Saleh Al Soufi, Director of the Curriculum Development Department at the Yemeni Ministry of Education, said: "The war has had a destructive impact on the minds and psyche of people as well as on the education system. We believe that education is the most important way to rebuild societies and to encourage people to leave the battlefield. Education is a means to restore life." He continued: "We recognize that our curricula need to be reviewed and developed to keep abreast of the evolution of the world and the requirements and needs of the labor market. In this regard, we would like to thank UNESCO for accepting to hold this workshop to provide us with international expertise to review our curriculum reference frameworks and to adapt our education system to the needs of the local, regional and international labor markets".
As to Dr Dakmara Georgescu, Curriculum Development Specialist at UNESCO Beirut, she reiterated UNESCO’s commitment to support Member States in achieving SDG4. Dr Georgescu said: “Often times, in countries in conflict, curriculum development is not considered a top priority. However, in reality, curriculum development is a must, for there is nothing in the education system more important than what a learner learns. The knowledge and skills that are instilled in schools accompany learners throughout their life”. She highlighted that the workshop’s objective is to update the participants on current issues and trends in international and regional curriculum development, and take stock of current developments and needs of the Yemeni education system with regard to improving learning opportunities based on reviewing their curriculum and learning materials in the light of Education Agenda 2030.
The workshop was based on interactive plenary and group-work sessions, and covered several topics, including: Regional and international issues and trends in curriculum development as a means of enhancing learning processes and outcomes; SDG4 targets and their relevance for curriculum development; Curriculum development in Yemen in the context of implementing Yemen’s Transitional Education Plan (TEP); The concept of competencies and key competencies; Connections between key competencies and subject-bound competencies.
