RIYADH — During a high-level regional dialogue held on Sunday, Dr. Khaled Al-Rasheed, Undersecretary of Kuwait’s Ministry of Education, emphasized the critical need to enhance teacher skills and develop curricula to improve student learning outcomes across the Gulf, Middle East, and North Africa. The event, titled “Insights from the Results of the 2025 PISA Study,” was organized by the Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States in collaboration with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and took place in Riyadh.

Speaking at the forum, Al-Rasheed highlighted the importance of fostering scientific thinking in students beyond traditional classroom experiments. He explained that the goal is to empower students to observe phenomena, formulate testable questions, collect and interpret evidence, and revise conclusions based on data. Such an approach, he noted, reinforces scientific reasoning and evidence-based decision-making, which are essential skills for critical thinking and problem-solving.

Al-Rasheed also stressed that professional development for teachers should be closely linked to practical classroom application. He advocated for curricula that provide educators with engaging questions, experiments, and hands-on activities designed to cultivate scientific reasoning and analytical skills among students. According to Al-Rasheed, investing in teacher capacity building is foundational to elevating educational quality and achieving superior learning outcomes.

In addition to outlining these broader educational strategies, Al-Rasheed reviewed Kuwait’s recent initiatives, including the Teacher Licensing Project, curriculum reforms, and the establishment of Gifted Schools, all aimed at advancing the national education system.

The dialogue convened representatives from education ministries across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states alongside officials from the OECD, the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO), the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Participants also included regional offices of these bodies, the International Institute for Educational Planning based in Paris, the Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States, and various other regional and international educational institutions. The Kuwaiti delegation accompanying Al-Rasheed featured Bader Al-Shatti, Arabic Language Technical Supervisor at the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Educational District.