Dunya: “Learning poverty” is a new crisis in the Arab world?

In 2019, the World Bank introduced a new concept: “learning poverty”. This term aims to shed light on the learning crisis plaguing various countries around the world, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa.

Although the majority of children attend school, a large proportion of them do not acquire basic skills. 59% of 10-year-olds cannot read or understand a text appropriate for their age.

This crisis also has a gender dimension, as the likelihood of learning poverty is greater for boys than for girls.

But what are the causes that lead and lead to poor learning? Is the teacher not qualified? Is it the lack of funding?

Questions answered by this week’s Duniyana episode with industry experts who participated with the World Bank in the preparation of this report.

In “Duniana” this week, Ibtihaj Al-Hamdouni, member of the Morocco program evaluation team, Dina Abu Ghaida, education economist at the World Bank of Palestine, Nadia Taiba, consultant at the World Bank and Professor at King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia, and Hanada Taha, Consultant at the World Bank and Professor of the Chair of Arabic Language at Zayed University in Lebanon.

“Duniana” Wednesday 5:30 p.m. GMT and 8:30 p.m. Beirut time on BBC Arabic.