Education should encourage critical thinking, innovation — educators

AMMAN — Teacher-student interaction in the classroom should be aimed at encouraging critical thinking and creativity rather than spoon feeding, according to a former education minister.  

Speaking at a recent meeting for the Middle East Network for Innovative Learning and Teaching (MENIT), Adnan Badran, also a former prime minister, said the school environment in Jordan should encourage students to think for themselves instead of resorting to rote learning.

He added that Jordan is one of the countries that positively impacted the education sector in the Arab Gulf countries back in the 1980s, but “now” the Kingdom’s education sector needs improvement.

Other educators at the one-day meeting stressed the need to ensure a better quality of elementary education in the Kingdom.

Participants recommended that the Kingdom develop a comprehensive educational system that improves the school environment and hones students’ life skills, such as innovation and critical thinking.

In addition, they said the education system should take into consideration the academic, psychological, economic and social needs of all students.

Experts also recommended developing a curriculum that takes into account recent technological advancements, calling for the enhancement of teacher’s competency in a changing environment.

In addition, to encourage enrollment in vocational education, participants called for making the vocational stream available for students at early stages in parallel with academic fields.

MENIT is a regional network that seeks to empower educators from Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria to cooperate and contribute towards innovation and sustainable educational change.