A recently published report has shown that the Kingdom spends 5.6 percent of its gross domestic product on education, making it the country with the highest spending rate on education in the world. The report came out right before the Fourth Education Conference due to be held this upcoming February in Riyadh. In its 2013 budget, $54 billion (SR204 billion) was set aside for education. This is a high percentage, given that the average global percentage is 4.4 percent. In North America, it is 5.1 percent. Obviously, 5.6 percent is high compared to that of other countries. It shows that the Kingdom is keen on education and considers it the basic foundation of development. This huge spending on education accounts for 25 percent of the state's budget. Although such spending should have improved our global ranking in education, it has failed to reflect, unfortunately, on this ranking. I am not talking here about the indicators of certain universities but I am referring to the general indicators as a whole. For example, McKinsey & Company conducted a study on education levels and placed the Kingdom 43rd rank in the world. The company does not rely on the volume of spending as an indicator of education excellence. Regarding our ranking in the human development indicator, which relies primarily on education levels, the Kingdom ranks between 57th and 67th. This shows that there is something wrong with the organization and structure of our education system. The defect should be swiftly remedied. Does the problem lie in our education sector as a whole, in curricula, in teaching methods, or in teachers' capabilities? It is very important that the council of education diagnoses the problem and puts forward solutions. We are facing the huge challenge of educating and qualifying citizens to contribute to building and developing society. Today we live in a world that depends on technology, solid education, and creativity. These three are important for developing citizens. We either improve our education system or choose to do nothing and not change the status quo.
