SAMAR FATANY At this critical stage of modernizing Saudi Arabia, it is important to identify potential leaders who can be challenged to come up with new initiatives to implement King Abdullah's ambitious reforms. Putting the right man or woman in the right place is the key to success. However, this has not been the case in some government departments and institutions. Unfortunately, not many people who are put in leadership positions are blessed with leadership qualities, as a result many promised reforms have not been delivered, money has been wasted and efforts exerted have all been in vain. Capable leaders are persons who have progressive characters, command respect so that when they speak people listen, are committed and able to deliver no matter what, and are mentally tough enough to take criticism and learn from their mistakes. We need to find these qualities in our officials in order to revive trust in government initiatives and to accelerate reforms to help our country change and modernize. The Deputy Minister of Education Nora Al-Fayez recently met with King Abdullah Scholarship students studying in the United States and succeeded in demonstrating that she is a government official who is capable of upgrading the educational system to transform the Kingdom into a knowledge-based society. Many of us had the wrong impression of Nora Al-Fayez the first woman to attain such a high governmental rank in Saudi Arabia. The earlier image of a woman in a black niqab refusing to allow her pictures in the Saudi press presented a distorted image of the progressive and highly educated graduate of Utah State University, which recently granted her an honorary doctorate degree for her leading role in serving the women of her country. Nora Al-Fayez in her elegant and colorful hijab presented an ideal figure for young Saudi men and women to look up to. The official met the students of both genders in an informal and flexible environment and not through a closed circuit TV. It was an excellent opportunity for the students to see her in person and learn about her initiatives and progressive ideas. She commanded respect and was very inspiring in her remarks to the students. Addressing the failures of the Saudi educational system, she said, “The process of reforms has to take its due course”, and she stressed the need to build capacity and spread social awareness in order to ensure the proper implementation of effective reforms across the nation. The discussion with the students was very transparent, and it demonstrated the extent of their maturity and awareness. A postgraduate education major explained how she was embarrassed in class because she was the only one who knew nothing about the First and Second World Wars. She was critical of the curriculum and the unqualified teachers who continue to teach in the Kingdom. Another student compared safety measures in American schools with the inappropriate safety measures in Saudi schools which have led to fires jeopardizing the lives of many innocent children in all parts of the Kingdom. The introduction of physical education in girls' schools and the lack of proper sports facilities in public schools, the lack of preschool nurseries and nursery facilities for school teachers, the failure of parents to participate in school activities and the failure of schools to build character in students were also among the topics of discussion. After a long discussion, the deputy minister welcomed the students' observations and urged them to share their recommendations through the ministry's website. She explained that reforms are taking place, but that it will take time to build the capacity of the workforce and the infrastructure needed to achieve the desired goals. However, she said that she was hopeful that within 10 years Saudi Arabia would witness the positive effects of the reform initiatives. Dr. Mohammed Al-Eissa, the Saudi Cultural Attache in Washington, is also a progressive leader who is behind the great success of the King Abdullah Scholarship Program in the US. He heads a mission of 400 employees all dedicated to serving the interests of almost 80,000 students across the US. Dr. Al-Eissa can write books about his experience and efforts that have helped many students to adapt to living in America and achieving academic success. Dr. Samar Al-Saggaf, head of the department of medical health sciences programs at the Saudi Cultural Mission, is another official with leadership qualities. She has been instrumental in identifying the great potential in Saudi medical students and has inspired many to excel and achieve greater success. Medical students in the program all testify to her leadership qualities. Dr. Al-Saggaf is also an Associate Professor of King Abdulaziz University, and was the former Dean of the Women's Section where she served to promote women's education. Indeed the leadership qualities of these officials is the main reason behind their successful accomplishments. Unfortunately, there are other officials who have failed to demonstrate such qualities. They have insisted on maintaining the status quo and have not offered any solutions to prevalent problems, and they have been unwilling to take on the burden of responsibility. They seem to lack motivation and are hindered by their egos and self-centered attitudes. Our youth today will not be led by the incompetent; they do not wish to lag behind the more advanced countries of the world. We need to restore trust in government by appointing only capable and qualified leaders who can help our youth to meet the challenges of the 21st century. — Samar Fatany is a radio broadcaster and writer. She can be reached at [email protected] __
