Saudi Students Face a Changing System ; Reformers Are Hoping to Remove Inflexible - and Sometimes Anti- Western - Aspects of the Saudi Educational System. A Flagging Economy Makes the Task Urgent

Faye Bowers writer of The Christian Science Monitor, The Christian Science Monitor

Third of four parts

Amal is a twentysomething fourth-year medical student whose parents taught her to dream big. She does: Amal wants to be Saudi Arabia's first famous female plastic surgeon.

Mansour al-Nogaidan is a thirtysomething writer who grew up with a different dream - he wanted to become a devout Muslim and rid the region, if not the world, of infidels. Mr. Nogaidan did live his dream - for a time. He became a jihadist, and attempted to purge his country of "infidels."

That both these dreams were nurtured by the same educational system underscores the challenges facing reformers in Saudi Arabia. That Amal can pursue her educational goals is …

Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication information: Article title: Saudi Students Face a Changing System ; Reformers Are Hoping to Remove Inflexible - and Sometimes Anti- Western - Aspects of the Saudi Educational System. A Flagging Economy Makes the Task Urgent. Contributors: Faye Bowers writer of The Christian Science Monitor - Author. Newspaper title: The Christian Science Monitor. Publication date: January 12, 2004. Page number: 7. © 2009 The Christian Science Publishing Society. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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