Nermeen Alireza is an example of the contemporary Saudi woman who is determined to make a difference in her society. As a concerned mother of four children, she is passionate about providing quality education for Saudi students. She holds a master's degree in education from Harvard Graduate School of Education and a diploma in Islamic teacher education from the University of Toronto. Since her graduation, her dream has been to establish a school that would graduate young men and women who are conscientious, have a strong sense of identity, are willing to excel and are determined to make a difference in their community and the world at large. Nermeen has been working hard for the past two years to make her dream come true. Today with the collaboration of Saudi partners and Kunskapsskolan Swedish education programmers she has founded the Nün Academy in Jeddah. During the Jeddah Economic Forum she organized a private session on the sidelines of the forum to introduce the academy to an audience of academics and concerned parents and citizens. Representatives of Kunskapsskolan Education (KED) were among the speakers of the event who gave a briefing of the educational program and the vision of the academy. The founder of the school eloquently gave a short presentation about Nün Academy which in partnership with KED will, at all levels, offer a Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) curriculum that has been rigorously adapted to ensure Arabic fluency and conformity with Saudi Ministry of Education guidelines for Saudi international schools. Arabic will be taught in every grade by highly skilled teachers. The curriculum will start as a predominantly Arabic curriculum in pre-school and lower primary levels combined with English language training. Gradually, English will be introduced with the objective of reaching international exam requirements and preparing students for successful international college studies. Listening to the speakers who outlined the school curriculum and the learning methodology was like music to my ears. They emphasized everything you could think of to ensure quality education. The audience were ecstatic to hear about the strong use of the Arabic language as a language for life. They were mesmerized listening to the Swedish academic explaining the adoption of the most advanced teaching methodologies, digital and otherwise, to enhance the learning of Arabic and its use in all areas of education. The curriculum includes regional and Islamic studies so that students can have a well-grounded sense of their own history and identity. They will learn about their Islamic values and teachings through a program that emphasizes comprehension over rote learning. There will be academic links with people, groups and organizations from different countries and diverse cultures to give students an international understanding. Peje Emilsson, founder and majority owner of KED, gave an inspiring presentation of Nün Academy which he said will be part of the KED network connecting over 40 schools, 15,000 students and 1,500 teachers on three continents. He stressed the importance of the regular meetings of educational directors in order to continuously develop the KED program and to ensure its high quality. Teachers and students will interact and collaborate virtually and face to face through exchange programs. The integration of internationalism, bilingualism, and self-knowledge will be delivered by highly qualified teachers. The students and teachers will both be supported with learning material that is provided through the Learning Portal, a state-of-the-art online digital learning solution. The goal of the school is to prepare students to work, excel, contribute and serve within global knowledge societies and enable them to cope with ever-changing challenges and difficult choices. Students will be introduced to the concept of social responsibility and how to serve their society; they will learn to respect the rights and beliefs of others. KED personalized education puts the students at the center. Classes are based on each student's individual strengths and weaknesses. They will receive support and direction from a personal tutor every week. Ordinary teaching sessions are complemented with a strict and comprehensive system for assessment, follow-up and feedback. Education is the key to progress and prosperity. The transformation of Saudi education remains the biggest challenge that is facing our nation. We need many Nün academies and many Nermeens to help us achieve our goal of providing quality education for our aspiring youth. — Samar Fatany is a radio broadcaster and writer. She can be reached at [email protected]
