Educational enrichment in Oman: Boosting rural communities’ access to English – 2023

Overview

Oman is considered a rapidly evolving country, and a haven of peace and stability in the region. The new national strategy aims to engage all members of society in greater socio-economic participation. As such the government set forth on an ambitious two-decade plan with a core set of national targets; amongst them job creation and global innovation, skills, and competitiveness.

Although Oman ranks high in access, completion and quality of education according to UNICEF, it struggles to close the gap between education and employability skills. The Duke Engage in Oman program will work alongside a local partner, Takatuf, in their work to enhance Omani youth’s access to education and prepare the next generation of leaders for the future.

Duqm is a growing city in Oman. The access to native English speakers and educational resources in this second language is also developing. The city’s history is as a fishing port and is growing as an industrial oil town. In order to ensure students’ ability to be competitive with possible scholarships in the country and for employability, they need more opportunities to speak in English and expand their use of computers.

Students will work closely with Takatuf staff in Duqm, all of whom are Omani, to tutor young Omanis in English communication skills as well as skills in using computers. Duke students, Omani youth and Takatuf staff will be exposed to different perspectives, ways of living, work cultures, and languages. Weekly themed reflection sessions will guide students through new experiences. In addition, weekly planned cultural activities will broaden students’ perspectives on politics, history, music and other cultural areas.

Community Partnerships

Takatuf Oman Is a human resource company. It has a division named Takatuf Scholars Enrichment Programme which offers an opportunity for Omani youth to compete for scholarships at local universities as well as opportunities for international learning. Candidates engage in a 21-day Summer Residential Programme (SRP) where they work in groups to complete a research project connecting with the country’s 2040 Vision. Students learn research skills and how to write a research paper, and they complete an oral presentation on their work.

In collaboration with local Takatuf staff, DukeEngage students will design and implement two three-week programs focused on improving English fluency and language acquisition, as well as improving technology skills specifically in using various applications for presentations like PPT, Canva, Powtoon, and Sketchit.

Program Requirements

Language: None required, but an interest in or basic-to-advanced experience with Arabic language is an advantage. Opportunity to practice Arabic language is abundant.

Skills: Some skills that would help students in this role are patience, listening, being organized, being creative.

Personal Qualities: Ability to manage stress in novel environments, ability to work productively on a supervised team, self-reliance and self-confidence, empathy and cultural sensitivity, self-awareness, problem-solving, and goal-orientation.

Logistics

Housing, meals, and transportation: Housing will likely be in a long-stay hotel, with access to a kitchen and meeting spaces for interaction and group reflection. Each room will be double occupancy. Students will shop for groceries and cook for themselves. It is expected that transportation will be provided by hired drivers.

Local safety, security, and cultural norms: We encourage students who have questions or concerns about health or safety in international programs to check Duke’s International SOS (ISOS) portal for relevant information. If you have special needs related to health, culture, disability, or religious practices, please contact the program director(s) or the DukeEngage office to discuss whether your needs can be accommodated in this program.

For guidance on how race, religion, sexual/gender identity, ability, or other aspects of identity might impact your travels, we suggest exploring the Diversity, Identity and Global Travel section of the DukeEngage website.

Academic Connections

This program is open to all. The opportunities afforded through this program should appeal to students working in areas of Education, Arabic and/or Middle Eastern studies, ICS, Cultural anthropology, sociology, political science, and public policy.

Students who participate in this program might go on to explore further courses in Arabic, Asian and/or Middle Eastern Studies; or to pursue opportunities such as publishing an article in Juhood Magazine, applying to a research scholarship through the SQCC.