Table of Contents
Preface iii
Figures xi
Tables xiii
Summary xvii
Acknowledgments xxvii
Abbreviations xxix
Chapter 1 Introduction 1
Human Resource Challenges Faced by the Arab Region 1
Research Questions 5
Analytic Approach 6
Diagnosis and Articulation of the Problem: What Are the Human Resource Challenges That Each Country Faces? 6
Approaches to Addressing the Problem: What Reforms Have Been Developed or Are Under Way? 7
Availability of Resources for Policy Evaluation: What Mechanisms Are in Place for Evaluating Policy? 9
Approach to Data Collection and Interviews 9
Rationale for Country Selection 12
Limitations of the Study 13
Organization of This Document 14
Chapter 2 Economic and Sociopolitical Context for Reform in the Four Study Countries 17
Reliance on Natural Resources for National Wealth 17
Sociopolitical System: The Role of Participatory Democracy 21
Diversity of the Economy 24
Composition of the Labor Pool 26
The Case-Study Approach 30
Chapter 3 Qatar 31
Overview of Qatar 33
Political History 35
Economic Development 36
Population Composition and Change 38
Advances in Education 41
Labor Force Trends 44
Human Resource Challenges Faced by Qatar 45
Non-Qataris Compose the Bulk of the Labor Force 46
Qatari Employees Are Concentrated in Government Sector 49
Unemployment Rates Are High Among Young, First-Time Workers 52
Qataris Are Not Obtaining the Types of Education Needed to Compete in Qatar's Economy 55
Approaches to Reform in Qatar 61
Qatar Introduces a Comprehensive Primary and Secondary Education Reform 65
Post-Secondary Education Reforms Are Also Considered a Priority 69
Efforts to Train Qatari SecondarySchool Graduates 72
Privatization and Economy Diversification Efforts 75
Efforts to Collect Demographic, Economic, Labor Market, and Education Data Are Expanding Education Data Are Expanding 79
Principal Data Provider: The Qatar Planning Council 80
New Source of Education Statistics 81
Other Activities to Extend Statistical Resources 82
Summary 83
Chapter 4 The United Arab Emirates 87
Overview of the UAE 89
Political History 91
Economic Growth 93
Population Composition and Change 95
Education Advances and Gender Differences 99
Labor Force Trends 105
Human Resource Challenges Faced by the UAE 106
Expatriates Dominate the Workforce and Emiratis Participate at Low Rates 108
The Education and Training System Is Not Preparing Emiratis to Meet the Needs of Employers 112
Efforts to Train Emiratis Have Been Piecemeal 115
Emiratis Prefer Working in the Government Sector 116
Implications of Overdependence on a Non-National Workforce 117
Approaches to Reform in the UAE 120
Post-Secondary Education and Training Reforms 124
Emiratisation: Nationalizing the Workforce 131
Private-Sector Promotion and Economic Diversification 137
Broad-Level Policy Goals Remain Focused on Improving the Performance of the Federal Government 139
Efforts at Data Collection and Dissemination to Improve Policymaking Are in the Early Stages 141
Data Collection Efforts at the National Level 141
Summary 143
Chapter 5 Sultanate of Oman 147
Overview of Oman 148
Political History 150
Economic Development 153
Population Composition and Change 155
Advances in Education 156
Labor Force Trends: The Labor Force Is Growing and the Share of Females Is Rising 158
Human Resource Challenge Faced by Oman 162
Omani Employees Are Concentrated in the Public Sector 162
Oman Has Relatively High Unemployment Rates, Particularly for Its Youth 164
Omanis Are Not Obtaining the Types of Education Needed to Compete in Oman's Economy 165
Income Inequality Is Another Area of Concern for Human Capital Development 169
Approaches to Reform in Oman 170
Efforts to Reform the Education System and Develop Human Resources Are Under Way 172
Changes in Primary and Secondary Government-Funded Education 174
Post-Secondary Education Reform Efforts 178
Vocational Training Programs 181
Labor Market Initiatives: Economy Diversification and Privatization Efforts 186
Foundation for Data Collection in Support of Decisionmaking Is in Place 192
Summary 195
Chapter 6 Lebanon 199
Overview of Lebanon 201
Political History 203
Economic Development 205
Population Composition and Change 208
Advances in Education 212
Labor Force Trends 217
Human Resource Challenges Faced by Lebanon 220
Outcomes of Primary and Secondary Education System Are Not Up to International Standards 221
The Higher Education System Is Strong and Depends on the Private Sector 223
Brain Drain Has Diminished the Benefit of a Strong Higher Education Sector 226
Unemployment Is High Among Youth in Particular and Foreign Workers Compete with Lower-Skilled Lebanese 227
Material Deprivation Is High and Disparities in the Standard of Living Are Large 230
Approaches to Reform in Lebanon 232
Economic Reforms Are Under Way 234
Efforts to Reform Public Institutions Are Concurrent with Economic Reform 236
Only Limited Demographic, Economic, and Labor Market Data Are Available to Monitor and Evaluate Progress 240
Summary 241
Chapter 7 Conclusions 245
Significant Human Resources Challenges 246
Active Engagement with Reforms to Education and Training Systems, Labor Markets, and the Economy 249
Education and Training Reforms 249
Reforms to the Labor Market and Economy 254
Lack of High-Quality Data and Evaluation Systems 257
The Value of Policy Evaluation 261
Appendixes
A Interviews Conducted 263
B Interview Protocol 265
C Qatar Higher Education Institute Scholarship Programs 269
D Private Institutions of Higher Education in Oman 273
E Recent Economic Reform Efforts in Oman 277
References 283
