A Strategic Response Through Distance Learning: A Case of The Arab Open University

Abstract

The Arab countries of the Middle East and North Africa face the challenge of providing educational opportunities to various sections of society to be able to meet the needs of the changing labor markets. Indeed, incessant efforts have been made by the governments of these countries to develop the education sector rapidly. However, they still have a long way to go before the avowed objective of spreading education far and wide in these countries is met. This paper makes an attempt to examine and analyze a strategic response in the form of distance learning to the changing labor market needs in the Arab world with special reference to the establishment of the AOU, Kuwait Branch. The paper suggests a suitable strategy for ensuring cooperation between labor markets and education sector in the Arab world.