Education a focus at World Economic Forum in Switzerland

Education was the prime focus in many sessions on the second day of the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. In a session chaired by Princess Lolwah Al-Faisal, general supervisor of the Jeddah-based Effat College, panelists were of the view that education must address both the basic skills—the skills required for a better life—and the skills needed for dialogue with others.

During the sessions, it was revealed that about 93 million children remain out of school at primary age and almost 800 million adults cannot read or write. Panelists said defining what it means to have a better kind of life makes it possible to define what education is about. “But there is a common problem: We are all suffering from insecurity,” said former Iranian President Mohammed Khatami. “The media has replaced the classroom as the main delivery channel for education. Cyberspace has become the learning space.” Read more in Arab News online.