Lebanese curricula rigid and failing in meeting the needs of the labor market

Beirut Arab University organized a seminar entitled ‘Success Story’ which hosted the CEO of ‘Al Iktissad Wal Aamal’ Group, Raouf Abu Zaki in the presence of BAU President Dr. Amru Al Adwi, Deans of various schools at the University, a number of ministers and business figures as well as a crowd of BAU graduate students. In his address to students, Abu Zaki pointed out that the key factor for actual success in education and therefore in career life is the clarity of vision, adding that the career process starts with identifying the right area of specialization, noting that education does not stop with one’s last degree. Stressing that the diploma alone does not make success, Abu Zaki pointed out to various points of strength that helped him reach success, mainly positive thinking and choosing the right vocational occupation. Highlighting the present educational curricula, Al ‘Iktissad Wal Aamal’ chief described the curricula as inflexible, closed, slow and therefore inadequate in meeting the evolving needs of the labor market. Schools, he maintained, do not offer the proper assistance and tools that will help their students to discover their talents and develop their orientations. Likewise, he said, that current higher education programs are incapable to accompany new developments. However, he concluded, that the responsibility for the present educational situation cannot fall only on educational institutions adding that it is very much the outcome of the overall political, security, economic, social and cultural context that is prevailing in Arab societies. (Al Mustaqbal, 19 May 2015)