Since the present study sample includes students from the secondary school stage in the State of Kuwait, it is important to provide an overview of the nature of this stage including educational objectives and philosophy crystallizing many educational themes relating to different development growth in the sample of the present study. Light will be shed also on many educational themes relating to the nature of scholastic activities and educational programmes and projects in the State of Kuwait. This is because the present study is based on two primary themes, namely: secondary students and the nature of educational activities and projects on which this study focuses to ultimately reach the importance and benefit of scholastic activity and project adopted by the researcher, i.e. a scholastic project in the field of agriculture.
Therefore, the Kuwait Ministry of Education developed a document on secondary education in the school year 2009/2010 (Ahmad, 2010), which included many administrative, technical and assessment aspects in connection with secondary education students. Hence, the scientific and technological challenges of the era, the importance of diagnosis, analysis of real problems and forward-looking outlook of their reflections in our fast changing world imposed a requirement for serious examination of the current educational system in Kuwait. It is necessary to adopt a thoroughly developed educational system keeping pace with today‟s human advancement that is capable of facing future challenges that rely on normal individuals with physical, mental, psychological and moral integration as stated in the overall goal of education in State of Kuwait.
With honest determination, Ministry of Education leaders have striven for years to adopt an educational system based on three educational stages with a five-year system for the elementary stage, four-year system for the intermediate stage and three-year system for the secondary stage (5-4-3). This system has the potentials and flexibility enabling it to face the challenges of the era, motivate the abilities of youth with characteristic of growth, and stimulate their minds and creativity. The educational system is provided with Kuwaiti societal values, proud of its deep- rooted past achievements, advancing from its brilliant present to promising future, boasting its Gulf and Arabian origin and communicating with and open to the surrounding world.
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Therefore, advancement in developing the learner‟s personality is a basic requirement in the State of Kuwait; aspiration to maximize its potential and excellent capabilities. The only way to attain this objective is to prepare thinking, researching, analytical, interactive and participating citizens free from anxiety, negativism and prejudice.
5.5.1. The Inclusive Objective of Education5.5.1.The Inclusive Objective of Education
Education has become and will remain an integral part of the entity of Kuwaiti citizen who strives to actualize him or herself as a human being and has the right to be provided with the opportunity to do so. Such education objectives and results should correlate with society‟s requirements in order to ensure effectiveness in realizing advancement and welfare for the society in line with the nature of the society and the era, learners‟ development requirements and characteristics, contemporary educational trends and the findings of scientific studies and sustainable education within a framework of commitment to originality, adoption of technology, diversification of approaches and prioritization to reach the best pattern. The overall objective of education in the State of Kuwait can be achieved, which is:
Provide suitable opportunities to help individuals attain comprehensively integrated spiritual, moral, thinking, social and physical growth to maximum extend of their potentials and abilities in view of Kuwaiti society‟s nature, philosophy and expectations, and in light of the principles of Arabian heritage and contemporary culture which ensuring balance between individuals‟ self- actualization and preparing them for constructive participation in the advancement of Kuwaiti society in particular and the Arab and global communities in general.(Salem, 2009, p. 6).
5.5.2. Overall Objectives of Education
First: Objectives relating to the nature of Kuwaiti society:
i. Belief in the principles of Islam whereby such principles become an intellectual approach and lifestyle embodied in individuals‟ behaviour and social relationships; ii. Familiarity with Arab and Islamic heritage, its social traditions and work on enhancing
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the same;
iii. Recognition of history and development of Kuwaiti society, its heritage and characteristics of social life;
iv. Promoting the individuals‟ feeling of affiliation and pride in their homeland of Kuwait, the Arab world and the Islamic world;
v. Strengthening links of solidarity, brotherhood and united family spirit among citizens and get rid of any sectarian, original, tribal or class oriented fanaticism;
vi. Preparing individuals for effective life in a society founded on consultation, democracy, emphasis of individual‟s freedom and dignity, attention to public issues, independent opinion, freedom of expression, respect of opposing opinion, compliance with the group opinion and practice of social work skills; and
vii. Preparing individuals who know their rights and duties (Salem, 2009).
Second: Objectives relating to the nature of the era:
Support for studying modern scientific fields and applications thereof making individuals able to recognize manifestations of scientific advancement around them and benefit from instruments and tools provided by modern technology;
i. Develop citizens‟ awareness to protect themselves against the effects of propaganda that sometimes attempts to subject people to private interests;
ii. Emphasize the link between theory and application, and between knowledge and practice; iii. Provide techniques that help individuals quickly adapt to rapid social change;
iv. Care for maintaining balance between spiritual and material values; and
v. Realize in-depth and comprehensive approach in preparing the individuals for life (Salem, 2009).
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Third: Objectives relating to learners‟ growth requirements and characteristics:
i. Assisting individuals with sound spiritual development and refining their behaviour by adhering to morals called for by Islam;
ii. Assisting individuals with sound mental development; iii. Assisting individuals with sound physical development;
iv. Providing individuals with opportunities ensuring their sound emotional maturity; v. Developing aesthetic appreciation and artistic expression whereby individuals feel
manifestations of beauty around them, enjoy and express the same;
vi. Preparing individuals for successful for family life and facing demographic problems;
vii. Pay attention to vocational education and requirements of study and vocational guide;
viii. Enhancing individuals‟ ability to think in a scientific method and act according to requirements of accurate observation, investigation, objectivity and reliance on convincing evidence and conclusive proof in adopting an opinion;
ix. Enhancing individuals‟ ability of creativity, innovation and modernization;
x. Promoting levels of ambition with individuals and provide them with opportunities to attain their maximum achievable potentials and talents to realize benefits for them and the society;
xi. Sponsoring talents and gifted students in all fields to prepare leaders capable of creating advancement in the society;
xii. Sponsoring physically and mentally handicapped students and developing appropriate programmes to meet their needs, solve their problems and convert them into effective power contributing to building the country;
xiii. Bringing up generations that are able to assume responsibility in different forms and aspects, and encourage individuals to take initiative, make decisions in their own,
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plan for their future and rely on their own efforts and work results;
xiv. Providing opportunities for preparing individuals capable of assuming facing change and development responsibility and rejecting all manifestations of backwardness and narrow-mindedness;
xv. Satisfying the needs of Kuwaiti society for qualified manpower to meet the requirements of development in various sectors;
xvi. Preparing individuals for employment and relevant trends towards appreciation of work and working people;
xvii. Urging individuals to contribute time, effort and money to serving the community and working on its advancement; and
xviii. Familiarity with the potentials and material and human capacities of the Arab world as a step towards achieving integration, cooperation and solidarity throughout the Arab world (Yakoub, Soad, &Rshid, 1991).
Fourth: Objectives relating to contemporary educational trends:
i. Materialize individual‟s positivity and activeness; ii. Enhance ability to practise self-learning;
iii. Assist individuals to practise ongoing learning throughout the life; and
iv. Benefit from up-to-date technologies in the education field (Yakoub, Soad,& Rshid, 1991).
Thus, I will present certain dimensions and themes with relating to the secondary schools in the State of Kuwait as follows:
5.6. Dimensions of Secondary Stage of Education5.6. Dimensions of Secondary Stage of