Ibrahim Alhouti

Politics of Education Reforms in the Arab Gulf States

This important volume focuses on the politics of education reform and the process involved in designing and implementing such reforms in the Gulf region, providing a novel framework for the little-researched K-12 education context in the region. Chapters demonstrate the involvement, influence, and motivation of the ruling establishment in reforming the educational system and share the experiences of key politicians and policymakers through discussion of the challenges faced in reforming education and the perceived outcomes in the region. Using Kuwait as an example of teacher policy reform struggles, the chapters then provide a comparative analysis in relation to Qatar and Bahrain to demonstrate regional differences and posit a framework for Arab Gulf states to improve the processes and implementation of K-12 educational reforms. Employing political theories to understand education reforms in the Arab Gulf states region from a political perspective, the chapters use policy document analysis, international reports, and interviews with policymakers, educators, and faculty to explore solutions and underpin the framework presented. Contributing much-needed discussion of education reform in the Gulf region from a political perspective, this book will be of use to scholars, researchers, and postgraduate students in the fields of education policy and politics, international and comparative education, and educational change and school reform more broadly. Those with a specific interest in how educational policy unfolds in regions that lack robust democratic history will also benefit.