British Council gives voice to Yemeni youth at the World Economic Forum

Noorin Mohammed Hasan.

The Middle East region should diversify and better manage its sovereign wealth funds; it needs to overhaul the education sector, focusing on the primary, secondary and vocational levels because more strategic investment in education is necessary. These are some of the vital recommendations to emerge from the World Economic Forum (WEF) held at Sharm El Sheikh during May 18-20.

About 12 heads of state and government participated in the WEF in Sharm El Sheikh. More than 1,500 participants accompanied them, along with leaders from civil society groups and journalists from 55 countries.  

The forum was held in partnership with the Government of Egypt and focused on a series of futuristic scenarios that explore the effects of long term global trends on the Middle East. It also focused on how to meet challenges and opportunities for the region in the next 20 years.

The British Council Center in Yemen supported the Yemeni youth, giving them the opportunity and voice to participate in the forum. Their representative was a 19 years old Yemeni girl, Noorin Mohammed Hasan, who is activist in the field of education in Yemen. She was the only participant representing Yemen.

In an interview with Yemen Observer, she talked about her participation in the Forum and also her participation with the “Learning from the Future” workshop that was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. 

“The future scenarios allowed us to realize the challenges lying ahead. This gives the opportunity to prevent some of the issues discussed from happening again, or at the very least, it allows us to prepare plans on how to deal with these challenges as they reveal themselves,” said Hasan.

Ms. Hasan stated that this design of learning done in both WEF and in the workshop held in Dubai highlighted the actions that need to be taken today in order to meet the challenges and opportunities for the region in the next 20 years. 

Sessions of the forum discussed major headlines, such as food prices and sovereign wealth funds, and examined the exciting investment opportunities in the region. Participants enhanced opportunities gaining insight and forging partnerships through an exchange of ideas and practical experience. “Amidst these challenges were regional poverty, unemployment, public health, the Israeli- Palestinian conflict, oil crisis and the inflation, Iraq’s shaky progress and of course education, which in my point of view is the ground for most of the other issues,” she added.

Arab youths shared their visions with the world at the World Economic Forum.

In workspaces, Ms. Hasan was able to meet a lot of other activists who are very concerned about the level of education in Middle East and North African countries (MENA). The majority of whom she met was casting doubt on the quality of education. “For example, I attended a focused networking session about innovation and technology. The main topic was about what single thing could be done differently to encourage innovation and technology development in the Middle East,” she added.

Ms. Hasan explained what they discussed in that session saying, “the bottlenecks that we discussed in this session was the criterion used to judge the students since, in my point of view, the style of exams used to judge the students doesn’t encourage innovation since it doesn’t encourage students to participate or to create.” Furthermore it hinders students from reading other material different to what is in the curriculum, but rather examines how much can a student memorize on the day of the exam, she stressed.

How art is neglected in schools, for instance without having drama clubs, art, and debate clubs, was one of the bottlenecks that they discussed. 

“Since not having this catalyst causes a mismatch between the skills offered in the school and what is actually required in the labor market,” she said. “For instance, are these students given the skills they will need in order to enter in the labor market? Are the students thinking critically and analytically, do they really have problems solving skills?”

Regarding “catalysts,” they talked about allowing the youth to participate more in decision making, how they should be more involved in global issues, and also the participation of non governmental sectors and business leaders. 

Noorin Hasan as a young leader played an important role in the sessions of the WEF speaking up to the leaders about their concerns, the youth concerns, but she faced a problem: “Unfortunately I wasn’t able to do it because I didn’t meet any Yemeni leaders participating in the WEF,” she said.

“I think the best way for a reform is for youth and the government to work together. The youth shouldn’t put all the blame on the government but at the same time the government shouldn’t neglect the youth’s impact, thus a simultaneous action towards a united vision from both sides would be the best thing to do.”

She gave some conclusions from the sessions that she attended saying, “I cry out for all of those who have the ability to make an immediate reform, whether it is the Ministry of Education or the business leaders, and even the youth and students themselves.”

Noorin Hasan explained her point of view “I think all curriculums, all exams, the whole system should be reconsidered. Such a reform should not be underestimated and it shouldn’t be delayed because it can have a great impact on all other sectors be it health, tourism, industry, economy.”

“Economics is a pretext; it is merely a result of the deficiency in other sectors like tourism, education, industry,” she stated. “People complain that we are poor all the time, they claim that our country lacks natural resources but I think that our country should invest in real assets, like people, talent and technology.”

Some solutions about the present economic situation given by Noorin Hasan are that if the country starts a real reform immediately, the economy will thrive and will act as a catalyst for other sectors rather than a hindrance.

“I do cast doubt on the fact that the oil boom in the Middle East over the past years had provided governments with ample revenues to improve their infrastructure, promote the development of new industries and reform their large and inefficient public sectors.”

She does not think that these countries took full advantage of this opportunity. “I mean, are regional leaders investing enough in their own people, giving them the educational and training resources they need to compete in an increasingly complex global economy? Are the students in schools given what is really required in the labor market?”

“I do not think so,” she also replies, “regional leaders should learn from Japan, India, and other countries.”

The WEF had affected Hasan and inspired her in so many ways. “First of all, just meeting with all the successful young global leaders has widened my perspective about the role of young people. Secondly, being able to attend a lot of heated debates about a variety of subjects has allowed me to look at issues from different angles. Especially since some of these debates were between current leaders and young people,” she said.

The forum has caused her to be more involved in global issues rather than just her own country or even her own region. “As years pass, we step into a more connected world world, so it doesn’t make sense anymore to neglect global issues as we are all in this together,” she added.

“I have to admit that this Forum, despite all of its benefits, has raised doubts in my mind about the possibility of solving the Palestinian issue since although I followed many of the debates held on the Palestinian- Israeli conflict, no tangible actions was agreed upon,” she stated.

Hasan continued, “I recall a debate which discussed this issue. On the plenary session there were Jamal Mubarak, Ehud Barak, Salaam Fayaad, and Tony Blair facing 12 young leaders. And although both the Israeli and Palestinian leaders sat right next to each other, each one emphasizing on the importance of peace, nothing tangible was being witnessed.”       

About her plans after the Forum, she said, “after attending the WEF, I have so far initiated an activist group that is committed to improving readership in Yemen. 

We are working on plans for our project, and then will try to work with founders to start it.”

She has not find any founders yet. “We are still not in that phase yet since we really want to offer a decent studied project first. So, hopefully that is the next phase,” she added.

She concludes saying, “I think that most of the issues or conflicts run back to a lack of innovation in education and as daunting as the task of in-depth reform may seem, there is no reason to assume that the Arab region in general or Yemen in particular cannot step up to the task.”  

Hasan also thanked the British Council for offering her such a chance, adding that she really encourages other institutes and business leaders to do likewise and allow the young to participate more in processes of decision making. 

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