An Overview of Teacher Education and the Teaching Profession in Saudi Arabia: Private vs. Public Sector

Abstract

The premise of progress of countries depends largely on the success of their education systems. Many educators attribute the success of education to teachers, as they see teachers as the fundamental element in the educational process. The focus on teachers highlights the significance of their education, training and preparation. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of how initial teacher education is currently structured in Saudi Arabia. It also aims to provide background on the context of the teaching profession in Saudi Arabia with a detailed description of the situation of teachers who work in private schools. The significance of this particular focus lies in its contribution to the academic literature of the background context of teachers working in private schools where there is a lack of research on this area and where discussions around it are taken by the local media outlets solely. This review will be crucial for researchers who are interested in the process of preparing teachers in this context and for those who are interested in pursuing a career in teaching in the Saudi private sector.