Mapping and analyzing the depiction of environment problems and religious diversity an

Republic of Yemen
Mapping and Analyzing the Depiction of Environment Problems
and Religious Diversity
in
Yemeni Civic School Textbooks-ISCED Level 2
By:
Abdulkhaleq Alwan (iwrm MS.c)
Water Strategies and Policies Advisor
Nov, 2016
Sana‘a, Yemen

Environment Problems & Religious Diversity Mapping
By: Abdulkhaleq ALWAN, Water Strategies and Policies Advisor
Main CONTENT
Acknowledgment
INTRODUCTION
Objective & Methodology
Main Findings: Environment
Main Findings: Religious Diversity
Conclusions
References

Acknowledgment:
To:
1. Prof. Riem Shpielhaus , 2. Dr. Tobias Ide
For :
a) The valuable guidance and very useful analysis frameworks,
b) The Cooperative review and overall inspiring feedback,

I. Introduction: Study Scope
Yemen Location
Source: WEC, 2009

ID
Name of the
education
program
Minimum
entrance
requirements
Theoretical
entranceage
Theoretical
duration(in
years)
ISCED 2011
level
ISCED
2011 Type
(ECED/Pre-
primary) or
Orientation
ISCED 2011
Completion
& Position
in national
degree
structure
Mandatory
/Optional
Level
1 Nursery an 0 3
Early
childhood
education
0 ECED - Optional
2 Preparatory 3 years old 3 3
Early
childhood
education
0 Pre-primary - Optional
3
Basic
education
(Grade 1-6)
6 years old 6 6
Primary
education
1 -
Full
completion
Mandatory
4
Basic
education
(Grade 7-9)
Completion of
grade 6
12 3
Lower
secondary
education
2 General
Full
completion
Mandatory
5
Secondary
education
Basic
education
completion
certificate
15 3
Upper
secondary
education
3 General
Full
completion
Mandatory
I. Introduction: Education System
Source: GEI 2011

I. Introduction: GER %  & Rationality
(Source: World Bank, 2010)

I. Introduction: School Curriculum
Development
The development of the school curriculum in Yemen has taken place many
times and mostly driven by the political changes in the country:
- During the 1970s and 1980s: a comprehensive curricula development process
(curricula nationalization)
-Mid of the 1990s: another big exercise has been performed to unify both north and
south education system and curricula after the country reunion happened in 22. May
1990
-1990s and 2000s: general environment content enrichment
-1998 – 1999: develop the water content in the Yemeni curricula through a three
phases project to be conducted between 1998 and 1999.
(Source: alwan, 2013).

The curricula continues development process said to be depended on many
sources in front of which are:
a) Feedback from the field,
b) Desk review to fill in any shortcomings,
c) Update the information according to the learners capacity and ages, and
d) Improve the design to make the textbooks more attractive for the learners especially
those enrolled in the first grades of the primary education.
(Source: Civic textbooks introduction)
I. Introduction: School Curriculum
Development
Unfortunately:
- No coordination and cooperation with the technical theme-based specialist within the other
development sectors is mentioned,
- Lack of updated references required for data and information to be educated, not to mention other
input resources like guidelines and teaching means.

II. Objective &Methodology
To map and analysis the environment problems and religious diversity depicted
in the civic school textbooks educated in ISCED Level-2 for grades 07, 08 and 09.
 Brief Disk Review for obtaining overall secondary data ,
 Collecting and screening civic textbooks quantitative and qualitative data,
 Applying the “Two Analysis Frameworks of Analyzing the Depiction of Environmental
Problems and Religious Diversity” provided by GEI. The analysis main dimensions are: a)
Problem, b) Coverage, c) Time, d) Causes and solutions/Framing, e) Relevance and f)
crosscutting issues.
ISCED Level-2:
- Designed to build on ISCED level 1, on a more subject-oriented pattern.
- Lay the foundation for lifelong learning & human development upon which education systems may
expand further educational opportunities. Source: (UNESCO-UIS, 2012)

II. Objective &Methodology
 The identified provisions and concepts were exposed to the analysis frameworks and
analyzed according theses dimensions using quantitative and qualitative data generated.
 Each identified provision was given a specific code to help the tracking and
documentation of the identified concepts.
Coding for Concepts Tracking and Documentation
Islamic Identity
Code: Civ_9th_40 & 42&50 Content : 1 Page
Chap:
Lesson:
03-Yemen Role and Identity
01- Identity of Yemen and its Roles
Change (+/-)
Time
(Turning
Point)
Causes/Solutions Relevance
Crosscutting issues
Yes/No Actors (Importance/Impacts)
Affected
Objects
-- -- -- -- X -- X
Islam is mentioned among the various pillars of Yemen identity. Then what is taught in grade 07 is repeated here that Yemenis have
widely responded to the call of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) and retained significant impacts in spreading Islam and the establishment of
the Arab and Islamic Civilization. It is added that Yemenis are proud of their affiliation to the Islamic nation. In the further page s 42 and
50, it is said that Yemen has a duty towards the other Arab and Islamic countries such as advocacy of their issues in Palestine, Kashmir,
Shishan, Busnah and Hirsik, and Kosova. Among its other roles, Yemen attends Islamic conferences and provides in-kind and monetary
support for Muslims like the ones in Busnah and Hirsik, and advocacy of Islamic issues everywhere. A statement of Mohammed (PBUH)
is provided saying that “Muslims are like one body wherever one part gets hurt the whole body response getting fever and nighty”.
P.S: the context here has a relatively “political sound” more than religious base i.e. politics comes as cross cutting issues

III. Main Findings: Given Subjects
Subjects
Grades #
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th
Quran
Islamic Education
Arabic
Social Studies
Civic Research Scope
History
Geography
Yemeni Society
Sociology
Economics
Psychology
Logic
Philosophy
Mathematics
Statistics
Science
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
English
Common Subjects Subjects for Art Students Subjects for Science Students

III. Main Findings: Civics Content Overall Description
Grade
Pub.
Year
The Total Content
Objectives &
learn. Expect.
Statement General Description
Chap. Lesso. Pages Chap. Lesso.
#7 2014 5 21 119 Yes Yes
The main chapters are: 1- The Yemeni Family and Its
Preservation, 2- Some of the Social issues and their
impacts on the family, 3- Family Budget Management, 4-
Environment and Public Safety, and 5- The Values.
#8 2014 7 25 128 Yes Yes
The main chapters are: 1- The Yemeni Revolution and its
Achievements, 2- The Yemeni Constitution and State
Regulation, 3- Citizen’ Rights and Duties, 4- Social
Problems, 5- Planning of State Budget, 6- Local
Administration, and 7-Environment and Public Safety.
#9 2015 7 29 127 Yes Yes
The textbook main chapters are: 1- Civil Society and its
Institutions, 2- Social Issues, 3- Yemen: The Identity and
Role, 4-Yemen and Arab Integration, 5- Population and
Development Planning, 6- Environment Protection, and 7-
Values of Participation in the Civil Life.
Total 19 75 374 Yes Yes

III. Main Findings: Environment Problems Depiction
Grade
Civic Textbook Content
(Pages)
Environment Content (Pages)
G.07 119 15.05
G.08 128 7.3
G.09 127 26.27
Total ISCED level 2 374 48.62
12.6%
5.7%
20.7%
13.0%
0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0%
G #7
G #8
G #9
ISCED level 2
Environment Content
as % of the Civic total
Content

0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Chapters Lessons
1
10
4
10
19
Pure Env. Depiction Integrated Env. Depiction Reinforcement Env. Depiction
Chapters & Lessons dedication to Environment provisions

31%
15%
54%
G #07 G #08 G #09
Environment provisions Shares as per each grade

Chapters Dedicated to
Environment
Lessons Dedicated to
Environment.
Environment Main Issues
G #07
Chap. #03. Family Budget
Management
Topic. #02. Rationalize Family
Consumption and Expenditure
Water and Electricity Abuse/Saving
Chap. #04. Environment
and Public Safety
Topic. #01. Environmental Hygiene,
Topic. #04. Islamic Guiding
Principles for Public Safety.
Personal and Environmental Hygiene,
and respective Islamic Guidance
Principles
G #08
and Public Safety
Topic. #1. Drugs and Pesticides,
Topic. #3. Food
Pesticides Risks ; Food Hygiene
G #09
Protection
Topic. #03. Population and Planning
the Development
Irrational Urbanization
G #09
Protection
Topic. #1. Environment Protection
Measures,
Topic. #2. Environment protection
authorities,
Topic. #3. Natural Preservations,
Topic. #4. School and Environment
Protection
Environment Protection: Means,
Roles of legislations, Organizations,
Natural Preserves, Role of School
III. Main Findings: Environment Main Problems

5
12.5
2
5
15.5
4.5 4.13
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
III. Main Findings: Environment Main Problems
Environment Issues Content Size (in pages)
Normative &
mere Content/
Delivery
Does not
match with
issues major
Poor
Visualization &
Application

III. Main Findings: Religious Diversity Depiction
2.24 0 1 3.24
374
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
G #7 G #8 G #9 ISCED level 2 Civic total content
Religious Diversity Content Size (in pages)
No single chapter
or lesson dedicated

Religious Diversity Content Compared to Total (in pages)
Grade
Civic Textbook Content
(Pages)
Environment Content (Pages)
G.07 119 2.24
G.08 128 0
G.09 127 1
Total ISCED level 2 374 3.34
0.87%
99.13%
Religious Diversity
Other Civic Content

Religious Diversity Depiction Shares as per each grade
69%
0%
31%
G 07
G 08
G09

III. Main Findings: Religious Diversity Provisions
Grade
s
Hosting Chapters and Topics Religious Diversity Provisions
G #07
Chap. No. 01:Yemeni Family, Lesson
no.01: Yemeni Society Characteristics
Islamic Belief Unity for Yemen and Yemenis
Chap. No. 01:Yemeni Family, Lesson no
03:Yemeni Family Roles and Functions
Teaching Islamic instructions as one function
of Yemeni family
Chap. no.05: Values; Lesson no. 01: Values
- Islam promotes values for humans;
- Islam calls and supports Human
Cooperation
G #09
Chap. no. 03: Yemen Role and Identity;
Lesson no. 01: Identity of Yemen and its
Roles
Islam as sole identity for Yemen and Yemenis
and roles of Yemenis in establishment of the
Arab and Islamic civilization in the past
Religious Diversity Main Concepts
Very Generic
Educated to be
proud of religious
identity
Political sound
comes as
crosscutting issue

 No single presentation for “divers” religious groups and or communities at any level,
 Islam is the only religion introduced for Yemen and Yemeni community said to be united,
 A relatively slight indication of human cooperation regardless their different origins,
colors and religions is indicated among the Islamic values said to be given to Muslims as
principles of life. “Those others are not defined/specified”
 The turning point mentioned is when Yemeni ancient people have diverted into Islam 14
centuries ago. “Former religion was not mentioned”,
 Yemeni students are strongly instructed to learn Islam principles and instructions, and to
retain its religious best guidance, duties, values and practices,
 The role of current Yemen in supporting the Arab and Islamic issues and marginalized
Muslim groups and populations in Palestine, Kashmir and Busnah; and the non-possibility
cooperation with Israel due to its occupation of the Arab land “Palestine” have come as
cross cutting issues when discussion the Islamic identity of the Yemen country.

The explicit depiction of religious diversity is deemed to be a
sensitive issue to be educated students of such age in such
conservative Islamic country of Yemen.

V. Conclusion
 The environment various issues/concepts have maintained relatively limited depiction
while the religious diversity is even much less depicted,
 Although is generic and limited, environment depiction demonstrates better provisions in
grade 07 than in grade 08, yet the best provision is retained in grade 09,
 It is observed that public and individual health is the corner stone around which most of
the environment content rotates,
 Most of the given discourses are provided in a generic contexts that lack the actual
contextualization of the issues in the ground and scale and trends of problems,
 Core environmental issues in Yemen such as water scarcity/depletion, climate change,
deteriorating of water and land resources….etc. are absent unless indicated by few
generic and monotic phrases,
 Discussed roles, responsibilities & solutions retain generic and normative presentations,
 Actors to act and move to change usually remain with limited & vague statements,

V. Conclusion
 Cognitive depth is poor and empirical learning is very poor where most of the outclass
activities asks students to write essays and submit them to teachers,
 The relevance usually presented in nonspecific way and solutions discussed lack any kind
of social marketing aspects that can motivate students to buy-in the given solutions,
 Visualization of the given environmental content is very poor,
 The Islamic identity is introduced as the sole identity for the Yemeni society and
individuals in scattered statements. A relatively slight indication of human cooperation
regardless t different origins, colors and religions is also indicated among Islamic values
given to Muslims as life principles.
 The explicit depiction of religious diversity is deemed to be a sensitive issue to be
educated in such conservative Islamic country like Yemen. However, there might be
potential depiction in other subjects that reveal more on religious education such as the
subject of Islamic education

References
 Alwan 2013, Water Education in Yemen: Baseline Assessment Study for the Water
Concepts in the Primary and Secondary Education,
 UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2012. International Standard Classification of
Education: ISCED 2011. UIS, Montreal, Quebec,
 USAID 2010. ‘Property rights and resource governance’, Yemen Country Profile.
http://usaidlandtenure.net/usaidltprproducts/country-profiles/yemen,
 World Bank, 2010. “Education Status Report: Challenges and Opportunities”, for the
Ministry of Education, Yemen. World Bank report no.57180. <
http://wwwwds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2010/10/
15/000334955_20101015053504/Rendered/PDF/571800WP0Yemen10Box353746B01PU
BLIC1.pdf>.

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