Ministry of Education and UNESCO Regional Centre Organize Regional Workshop to Enhance Governance of General Education Assessment Institutions

The Ministry of Education and the Regional Islamic Bureau for Education in Science, Technology and Culture (ICHEP) organized a specialized regional workshop titled “Governance of General Education Assessment Institutions in Arab Countries: A Prospective View” yesterday morning, under the patronage and attendance of Minister of Education Eng. Syed Jalal Al-Tabatabai, with the participation of the Center’s Director General, Dr. Abdulrahman bin Ibrahim Al-Dairis, and a select group of experts, educational leaders, and representatives of national, regional, and international institutions, via the Zoom platform. The workshop aimed to enhance Arab integration in the governance of assessment and to elevate the quality of educational systems.

In his opening remarks at the workshop, Minister of Education Eng. Syed Jalal Al-Tabatabai emphasized that educational development is no longer measured solely by the volume of programs and initiatives implemented by educational institutions, but by their ability to achieve tangible results, measure their impact, and rely on reliable indicators to shape policies and make decisions. He stressed the strategic importance of governing general education assessment institutions, which requires clear mandates, professional judgment independence, procedural transparency, assessment fairness, and result reliability.

Al-Tabatabai stated that the workshop represents an important scientific and educational platform to discuss a strategic issue related to educational development, namely the governance of assessment institutions and the enhancement of their efficiency and result reliability. This supports the quality of educational policies, contributes to improving educational outcomes, and opens broader horizons for exchanging expertise and perspectives, while strengthening joint efforts to develop educational systems in Arab countries.

He added that assessment is not an end in itself, but a tool for reform and continuous improvement, deriving its true value from its ability to guide educational decision-making and produce tangible effects within schools and classrooms, as well as in teacher performance and student learning levels. He affirmed that the success of development efforts is linked to the ability of educational institutions to leverage assessment results to improve performance and address shortcomings.

He noted that the State of Kuwait views governance and institutional assessment as two fundamental pillars in the educational reform process, based on a firm conviction that educational development requires decisions grounded in data and evidence, mindful of the actual needs of the educational field, and subject to continuous monitoring and evaluation.

He clarified that the Ministry of Education is implementing a comprehensive reform plan addressing the development of regulatory and administrative frameworks, enhancing the efficiency of human resource allocation, promoting fairness in opportunities and procedures, and developing measurement and assessment systems. This aims to achieve optimal use of capacities, raise the efficiency of educational institutions, and improve the quality of their outputs.

He pointed out that, alongside reform efforts, the Ministry has prioritized digital transformation as a key enabler to strengthen institutional governance. This is being achieved through the development of an integrated, electronic digital system that serves various aspects of the educational and administrative processes, supports procedural transparency, ensures fair application of standards, and enhances monitoring and accountability.

He explained that this system provides data and indicators that contribute to performance evaluation and achievement measurement, thereby enhancing the quality of educational and administrative decisions and linking them to the actual needs of the educational field. He emphasized that reform decisions are not complete merely upon their issuance, but depend on the soundness of their foundations, the clarity of their implementation criteria, the effectiveness of their execution, and the ability to measure their results and ensure the sustainability of their impact on improving institutional performance and elevating educational quality.

Al-Tabatabai also affirmed that governance is not limited to establishing controls and procedures, but represents an institutional framework that entrenches the principles of fairness, transparency, and accountability, and strengthens

The efficiency of educational decisions, ensuring that policies and resources are directed toward development priorities, so that the learner’s interest and the quality of their education remain the fundamental benchmark for the success of reform efforts. He added that the rapid transformations witnessed by Arab educational systems necessitate a shift from merely measuring performance to building evaluation institutions capable of interpreting results, identifying shortcomings, and providing evidence that helps policymakers choose the most effective and sustainable policies.

Al-Tabtaba’i highlighted the importance of the study prepared by the Regional Islamic Bureau for Education in Science and Culture (ICHEI), noting its analysis of the current state of governance of general education evaluation institutions in Arab countries, its comparison with leading international experiences and practices, and its exploration of alternatives and future scenarios for their development. He stressed that the ambition behind organizing this workshop extends beyond diagnosing the current situation and exchanging experiences; it aims to crystallize practical visions and guiding frameworks that are adaptable and applicable, which would enhance the efficiency of evaluation institutions, increase the reliability of their results, and support Arab countries’ capacity to make evidence-based educational decisions, while respecting the specificity of each educational system and its national priorities.

He stated that Kuwait’s hosting of this workshop embodies its commitment to strengthening Arab and international educational cooperation, and represents an extension of the political leadership’s interest in developing education and enhancing its quality, as well as supporting reform steps aimed at building a more efficient and sustainable educational system capable of keeping pace with changes and achieving national objectives.

He expressed his hope that the outcomes of this cooperation would contribute to supporting educational reform efforts, developing policies and institutional practices, and enhancing the exchange of successful experiences, in alignment with Kuwait Vision 2035 and the aspirations of Arab countries for more quality, efficiency, and sustainability in education.

Al-Tabtaba’i expressed his sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Regional Islamic Bureau for Education in Science and Culture, represented by its Director-General, Dr. Abdulrahman bin Ibrahim Al-Dairis, as well as to all participating entities, experts, specialists, and working teams that contributed to the preparation and organization of the workshop. He expressed confidence that the scientific expertise and institutional experiences possessed by the participants would enrich the workshop’s proceedings and contribute to producing practical recommendations that enhance the governance of evaluation institutions and support efforts to improve the quality of education in Arab countries.