The Development of Human Resources
in the Sultanate of Oman:
Omanization and the Role of Women
Dr. Salma M. Al-lamki
Former Member (Senator) of the State Council
Associate Professor of Management
College of Commerce & Economics
Sultan Qaboos University
Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
June 22, 2006
Abstract
This paper addresses the issue of Human Resource Development (HRD) and training with particular emphasis on Omanization (the replacement of expatriate held positions with Omanis) in the Sultanate of Oman. The paper outlines a brief overview of the human resource development practices in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries followed by the specifics of the Sultanate of Oman's experience. This includes the Omani government’s national policies on human resource development & training and government supported Omanization schemes and incentives. Finally, the author discusses the role of Omani women in the overall development process.
“We firmly believe that the development of human resources is the cornerstone of the development process in any society, because the human being is the ultimate goal and aim of development as well as being its means and its producer.”
HM Sultan Qaboos bin Said, 2005
Introduction
In the oil-producing Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries consisting of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, rapid development financed by oil revenues resulted in robust economic growth and infrastructure development. In order to support and sustain this growth in the wake of a shortage of supply of indigenous labour, foreign workers (primarily from the Indian sub-continent) were imported to fulfill this role. Over time many of the GCC countries become dependent on the cheaper and skilled expatriate labour. The presence of foreign workers in this region has in fact outgrown the indigenous workforce, and typically represents a majority. In most of the GCC countries, over 80% of the labour force in the private sector are foreign.
To address this disparate composition of the workforce, many of the GCC countries embarked on rigorous training and development programmes in order to promote the employment of nationals in the labour market. This was accompanied by government-mandated "gulfization" policies and mechanisms to stem the inflow of foreign workers and encourage the employment of nationals. Measures to curb the growth of foreign workers typically included mandated targets for "gulfization-nationalization" in different employment sectors (government & private), permit requirements and levy (fees) for foreign workers, and attractive incentives and preferential treatment for companies adhering to nationalization policies.
The Omani Experience
The Omani experience with regards to national development and economic growth is similar to its neighboring GCC countries. The distinctiveness of the Omani experience, as presented here, lies in its history as a developing country. Oman shares with the rest of the GCC countries similar constraints with regards to the availability of an educated and experienced indigenous workforce. The sociopolitical and economic circumstances of Oman during most of the twentieth century, coupled by the lack of modern educational facilities prior to 1970, has resulted in its underdevelopment as well as an absolute shortage of indigenous educated populace. This predicament permeates all segments of the development programmes in the country.
In the context of the initial renaissance in 1970, and under the prevailing conditions of a dearth of educated Omanies, the government policy of building a modern economy necessitated the importation of foreign manpower (primarily from the Indian sub-continent) to implement the country's ambitious development plans. Recourse to expatriate workforce was seen as an essential alternative until such time when a sufficient number of Omanies is educated to assume responsibility in the development of their country, and eventually, replace expatriates.
Educational Development in the Sultanate of Oman
Within a period of thirty-six years, general education (KG - 12) in the Sultanate of Oman has grown rapidly and is now available to all Omani nationals in the country. From a mere three primary schools with 900 boys prior to 1970 to a post 1970 renaissance period of almost 700,000 students of both sexes and 1,020 schools, the general (pre-tertiary) education sector in the Sultanate of Oman has taken a proactive role in achieving (primary-preparatory-secondary) education for All. The role of education in the country’s socio-economic development has been among the many changes that have reshaped the Sultanate of Oman today. Following the accession of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said in 1970, general education has been available to all Omani nationals under a program of continuous and rapid expansion catering to all corners of the country.
Higher Education Development in the Sultanate of Oman
The development of higher education in the Sultanate of Oman has been slow but steady. Today Oman’s system of higher education offers both public and private institutes of higher learning. The Public system of higher education is relatively diverse. This diversity is made up of one public (Sultan Qaboos) university housing eight different colleges (namely College of Engineering, College of Science, College of Medicine, College of Agriculture, College of Education, College of Commerce & Economics, College of Art and College of Law), a total of six Colleges of Education, five Technical Industrial Colleges, fourteen Health Institutes, one Institute of Bankers and a number of other institutes of higher education.
All public (government) institutions of higher education are funded by the government and available free of charge to Omani nationals. Admission to these post-secondary public institutions is based on academic merit. In addition to the public higher education opportunities in the country, the government through the Ministry of Higher Education has a scholarship program that awards scholarships and grants for undergraduate and graduate studies. These academic awards are offered to outstanding students and are based primarily on academic achievement and merit. Special provisions are also made for students of low-income families.
Private Higher Education in the Sultanate of Oman
Private higher education in the Sultanate of Oman is a relatively recent phenomenon but expanding quite rapidly. His Majesty’s government issued a Royal Decree in 1994 to promote the development of private higher education in the country. This Decree was enacted in order to accommodate the increasing demand for access to higher education, which could not be absorbed by the public system. In this regard, the government of the Sultanate of Oman solicited the participation of the private sector to assume an active role in contributing towards the development of higher education in the country.
Pursuant to Royal Decree 18/94, a host of private two-year colleges started mushrooming in the country. Consequently over the years, these two–year private colleges developed into 4-year college status. Request to confer Bachelor Degrees was approved and sanctioned by the Ministry of Higher Education. As a result, currently there are three private universities and sixteen private colleges.
National Policies on Human Resource Development (Omanization)
Since the dawn of the national renaissance in 1970, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos has repeatedly stated that Oman's most crucial resource is its national human resource. The importance of Human Resource Development (HRD) has been given top priority throughout the Sultanate of Oman's successive Five-Year Development Plans. The role of human resource in nation building has been accorded a strategic objective in Oman’s vision 2020. In Oman's vision 2020 economic conference held in Muscat in June, 1995, His Majesty's address to the nation clearly emphasized the need to educate and develop national human resources.
"Development is not a goal in itself. Rather, it exists for building man, who is its means and producer. Therefore, development must not stop at the achievement of a diversified economy. It must go beyond that and contribute to the formation of the citizen who is capable of taking part in the process of progress and comprehensive development." (Vision 2020 Conference, June 1995)
In Oman, now as never before, the training and development of national (Omani) human resources to a high level of efficiency & competency is a national duty. This is due to a number of reasons including less dependence on Oil, implementation of a successful privatization programme, economic diversification, industrialisation, technological innovation, globalization, and an increasingly competitive global market.
Government Supported Omanization Schemes and Incentives
It is clear that the strategic directives of development in the Sultanate of Oman continually stress the significant importance of training and developing its national human resources. In recognition of this national objective, the government has established and empowered a number of public institutions such as the High Committee for Vocational Training, the Ministry of Social Affairs, Labour and vocational Training, the Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Omanization Follow-up Committee to oversee the Omanization process (the training and development of national cadre to gradually replace the expatriate workforce). This has been initiated and supported by a number of Omanization schemes and incentives as a measure towards replacing the large expatriate workforce in the country as well as to ensure a qualified and skilled cadre of Omani workforce to actively participate in the country's economic and social development.
Following suit of the government’s Omanization policy, the Ministry of Higher Education has initiated proactive policy to expand higher education institutions through privatization programmes in order to increase student access in higher education. The aim is to facilitate the graduation of more Omani youth in various areas of specialization as a measure towards the gradual replacement of the large population of expatriate workforce in the country.
A number of projects and programmes have been established to promote and encourage young Omani entrepreneurs. These include the Intilaqa programme (training on starting a small business) sponsored by the Shell Company and the Youth Project Development fund and the SANAD program.
The Role of Omani Women in the National Development
A significant and most valuable national human resource, Omani women made profound contribution to the socio-economic development of their country. Their roles as mothers, wives and career women continue to be instrumental in Oman’s national development. Without any doubt, an integral factor in the overall success of women is Islam.
Islam accords equal rights to women. It is the key to women’s emancipation and liberation. Islam encourages women to seek knowledge, pursue profession, manage a business, and own property. A role model for all Muslim women is “Sitina Khadija”, the wife and soul partner of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). Muslim nations have elected three women Prime Ministers, namely Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan, Khaleda Zia (presently Shaikha Hasina) of Bangladesh and Tansu Cillar of Turkey. These individuals were elected by male and female voters based on their leadership qualities. These elections have demonstrated the true essence of Islam towards Women.
In the Sultanate of Oman, since the dawn of the national renaissance in 1970, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos has repeatedly stated and promoted the important role of women in national development.
“The education of girls is never absent from our mind, since women form half of our society.” HM Sultan Qaboos, Dawn of the National Renaissance.
Today Omani women are found in all walks of life, domestic and professional. Omani women occupy different professions such as, teachers, nurses, medical doctors, university professors, lawyers, administrators, etc. To catapult the role of Omani women in the national development, Omani women have been appointed in high-ranking government and leadership positions such as Senators, Congress Women, Under Secretary, Ambassadors and Ministers. All these women have played their vital role in Oman’s socio-economic development.
Indeed, attestation to the role and contribution that Omani women have and are continuing to participate at highest level of public and private office as Ministers, advisors, CEOs and CFO’s. I believe this is the real legacy that, not only Omani women, but Arab Muslim women of today are generating; a legacy that has, ironically come full circle from the earliest scriptures of Sitina Khadija.
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