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Arabic Language in our Schools Forum: Towards a Common Renaissance Vision at Beirut Arab University

16 May 2024

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Under the auspices of the President of Beirut Arab University, Professor Wael Nabil Abdel Salam, the Faculty of Human Sciences organized a forum about “Arabic Language in our schools: Towards a Common Renaissance Vision”. The Faculty Dean Professor Siddeeka Lashin, Director and Principal Researcher at Tamam Educational Movement-American University of Beirut, Dr. Rima Karami, school directors, a delegation from schools in Jordan, Arabic language professors and a crowd of interested people.

This forum discussed three themes:
First: Professional partnership based on common needs.
Second: Initiatives for developing and nurturing the Arabic language teacher.
Third: Development initiatives in Arabic language education.

It aims to strengthen the university's role in the advancement of Arabic language in schools from scientific and needs perspectives, as well as to strengthen relations between schools by exchanging developmental experiences in teaching Arabic language and be familiar with a unique Arabic experience in networking among schools to unify the vision to serve Arabic language in schools.

The forum started with the Lebanese national anthem and the university’s anthem, then a speech by the Faculty Dean, Professor Lashin, where she said that "The advancement of Arabic language needs a unified national project based on all international issues that must be promoted by nations and thus achieve the prevalence of the Arabic language".

Lashin continued: "One of the building blocks of large projects to promote Arabic language is the role of educational institutions and that is what Beirut Arab University is doing. In this regard, the university is offering academic programmes, including bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, doctorates and specialized diplomas as well it adopts a curriculum that combines linguistic, literary, historical and cultural studies. This is in addition to leading scientific research in this field ".

Then the Head of the Department of Arabic Language and Literature at the Faculty of Human Sciences Dr. Bashir Faraj said: "The Arabic Language Department at the university, through its programmes, activities and works, seeks to live up to the level of Arabic that the Arabic language itself is satisfied with at this time, when it is our responsibility to level up efforts, exert thought, launch imagination and conscious planning in order to make learning Arabic language closely linked to reality and to the requirements of the age and the labour market."

Dr. Khalil Ajineh also from the department of Arabic Language and Literature at the university, then launched the "Ain" programme and opened the door for schools to join it. It aims to develop an inclusive and inter-school vision for the promotion and education of the Arabic language based on the needs of the school, the reality of education and the labour market.

Ajineh concluded with recommendations raised by attendees to elevate Arabic language, the most notable were:
- Development and reconsideration of curriculum.
- Exchange experiences to develop schools and a sound scientific vision.
- Training Arabic language teachers and discussions with the youth in order to improve the eloquence of recipients.