Ain-Al-Yaqeen - February 25, 2005

		February 25, 2005

GREAT STRIDES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HEALTH SERVICES IN OMAN.
HOSPITALS PROVIDE HIGHLY SPECIALISED MEDICAL CARE AND OPERATE AS REFERRAL HOSPITALS FOR THE WHOLE OF THE SULTANATE.
SPECIAL EDUCATION FOR OMANIS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND SEVERAL SERVICES FOR ALL SECTORS OF THE SOCIETY.

Since 1970 the Sultanate has made great strides in developing its health services, leading to striking improvements in the country's public health. The quality of Oman's health care has been praised by international organisations such as the World Health Organisation, UNICEF and the United Nations Development Fund.

In 1970 the government was responsible for providing most of the country's health services, and for the next ten years was solely responsible for the population's basic health care. Today it provides 87% of the country's hospitals and hospital beds, as well as 90% of outpatient services and 90% of inpatient services.

In 2002, 98% of children in the government's target group were inoculated against polio, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and measles as part of a series of health programmes designed to reduce the incidence of contagious diseases. The Sultanate has now been polio-free for the ninth successive year and no case of diphtheria has been recorded since 1992. Measles fell to five confirmed cases in 2002, compared with 1,262 in 1990.

Diarrhoea cases fell to 266 per 1000 children below the age of five in 2002 as against 497 in 1995, a 46% drop. Acute infectious respiratory diseases also fell by 46% over the same period. The national malaria eradication programme, launched in 1991, reduced the number of confirmed cases from 32,000 in 1990 to 590 cases in 2002 (including six cases of secondary infection).

At present the government operates 48 hospitals, of which 13 are referral hospitals. At the end of 2002 these had 4,455 beds. The referral hospitals are equipped to provide high quality specialised outpatient and inpatient services in such areas as internal diseases, surgery, paediatrics, gynaecology and obstetrics, orthopaedics, eye, ear, nose and throat (ENT) diseases, dermatology and oral health. They also have disease and tissue diagnostic clinics, laboratories and radiography departments. In addition, most health regions have wilayat and local hospitals providing patients with some specialist secondary health care services.

The hospitals still provide primary health care services through the specialist outpatient clinics, which received 10 million visits in 2002. The rise in the number of outpatients and inpatients was paralleled by an increase in laboratory, radiography and dentistry services. In 2002 some 221,000 cases were treated at hospital inpatient departments and 95,000 surgical operations carried out.

Before 1970 there were fewer than a hundred people employed in the health sector and only 13 doctors. By the end of 2002 there were 17,740 people including 2,497 doctors and 7,057 nurses working in government institutions. Some 58% of the total personnel were Omanis.

The Governorate of Muscat's main hospitals - the Royal, Khoula, Al Nadha, and Sultan Qaboos University Hospital - provide highly specialised medical care and operate as referral hospitals for the whole of the Sultanate.

The Royal Hospital is a specialist referral health establishment equipped with the latest advanced technology. Its departments provide treatment for internal diseases, as well as paediatrics, gynaecology and maternity services, general surgery and treatment for diseases of the urinary tract. The hospital carries out surgical operations and medical interventions involving advanced modern technology such as nuclear medicine, kidney and other organ transplants, and cardiac operations. Its inpatient wards have a maximum capacity of 632 beds.

The Khoula Hospital is the Sultanate's referral hospital for cases from orthopaedic surgery, neurosurgery, cosmetic surgery and burns departments. This 428-bed hospital also has maternity, gynaecology and physiotherapy departments. Khoula was equipped with the latest MRI scanner early in 2003 . The Al Nahda Hospital, with 95 beds, specialises in ENT surgery and eye surgery and treatment, as well as jaw, gum and dental surgery and treatment, dermatology and nervous diseases.. The 500-bed Sultan Qaboos University Hospital is one of the Sultanate of Oman's leading hospitals . It is fully equipped to train the students of the SQU's College of Medicine and Health Sciences, and in addition offers services to the Omani community . It is the Sultanat's main referral hospital for thyroid gland operation.

The hospital's achievements include three successful suprarenal gland excisions by microsurgery and some 71 bone marrow transplants. Uniquely in the Sultanate, it possesses the equipment for the analysis and study of cell flow at it's haematology laboratory. It also has MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scanning equipment.

The Ibn Sina Hospital has 51 beds and specialises in psychiatric and nervous disorders.

Other hospitals in the Governorate of Muscat include the Armed Forces and Royal Oman Police Hospitals, 24-bed al Rahma Hospital, 40-bed Quriyat Hospital, Bausher Polyclinic, Wattayah Polyclinic (gynaecology and maternity) and 21 health centres.

There are also two private hospitals in the Muscat area: the Shatti in Qurm (which specializes in general medicine, cosmetic surgery and has a 'walk-in" clinic) and the Muscat Private Hospital in Bowshar (specializing in obstetrics, IVF treatment, general surgery, internal medicine and paediatrics. There are also numerous private clinics.

The Governorate of Dhofar's main referral hospital is the 450-bed Sultan Qaboos Hospital in Salalah. It has departments for internal diseases, gynaecology and obstetrics, paediatrics, general and orthopaedic surgery, dermatology, eyes, ENT, dentistry and other medical specialisations. It also has an intensive care unit, an accident and emergency department and artificial kidney, burns and cosmetic surgery units. There are five small hospitals with between six and twenty-eight beds, treating a range of disorders and providing maternity services. The Governorate's hospitals have a combined capacity of 538 beds. There are also 26 health centres.

There are six hospitals in the Dakhiliyah Region. The 301-bed Nizwa Hospital, the region's referral hospital, was rebuilt and opened in 1998. The region's hospitals have a combined capacity of 547 beds. Other services include Nizwa Polyclinic and eleven health centres.

There are ten hospitals in the Sharqiyah Region, which is divided into North and South. Sharqiyah. The 122-bed Ibra Hospital is the regional referral hospital for North Sharqiyah, which also has nine health centres. The new 243-bed Sur Hospital is the regional hospital for South Sharqiyah, which is also served by the Sur Polyclinic and twelve health centres. The number of beds for the region as a whole is 724.

The Batinah Region has ten hospitals and is again divided into North and South. The new 363-bed Sohar Hospital is the regional referral hospital for the North Batinah Region, where there is also the Sohar Polyclinic, three other polyclinics and eight health centres. The 235-bed Rustaq Hospital is the regional referral hospital for the South Batinah Region, which has two polyclinics. The Batinah Region has a combined capacity of 761 hospital beds.

The Dhahirah region has five hospitals. The 240-bed Ibri Hospital is the referral hospital for the region, which has a combined total of 407 hospital beds. There are also thirteen health centres.

The Governorate of Musandam has three hospitals with a combined total of 156 beds and three health centres. The 100-bed Khasab Hospital is the Governorate's regional referral hospital.

The Wusta Region has two hospitals with a combined capacity of 52 beds and seven health centres.

Education has been a major government priority since 1970. In recent years the Basic Education system has been introduced and improvements made to the syllabi at all levels so that they are linked to the demands of the labour market, and thereby enabling society to keep pace with modern developments in the world at large.

The rapid progress achieved in education by the Sultanate is reflected in reports by international organisations, including UNESCO (2001) and the World Bank (2001).

There are currently 1,022 schools in Oman, including three special education schools, with a total of nearly 600,000 male and female pupils.

In the coming year, 2003-2004, a modernised Omani curriculum for the kindergarten stage will be introduced in all private schools, and several other educational projects have already been implemented. Nearly 300 schools are teaching the two stages of the Basic Education System, which aims to develop the pupil's abilities. Independent and analytical thinking is encouraged, and curricula focus on the individual student's needs.

The syllabi is constantly being updated and textbooks reviewed, and several new subjects have been introduced into the school curriculum to reflect modern trends. In the past year, a number of new textbooks have been written for Basic Education schools and for primary, preparatory and secondary schools. Teaching staff are fully involved in the development process.

The government encourages the private sector to invest in education. Since 1977, 132 private schools have been opened. These follow three distinct programmes: the pre-school and kindergarten programmes which follow an Omani syllabus, the bilingual programme in which selected subjects are taught in English, and the English Language syllabi in which schools can introduce their own programmes. The Basic Education system has been adopted in 82 private schools.

Major priorities are the Sultanate's literacy and adult education programmes, begun in 1998 to teach adults from 15-44 years of age to read and write. In 2002-2003 there were 375 literacy classes with over 6,000 students. Annually the government honours those contributing to literacy programmes, as well as graduates from these programmes who have subsequently completed university studies. Secondary school graduates have now been enlisted and trained to teach literacy classes in the remote regions, and adult education centres have been set up with free reading material to enable the newly literate to continue their education.

As an acknowledgement of its achievements in this area, the Sultanate was the recipient of the Arab Education, Culture and Science Organisation's first prize for services to the eradication of illiteracy.Arab Literacy Day and World Literacy Day are celebrated every year.

In 1974-1975 a Special Education section was set up for Omanis with special learning needs. While some were initially sent to study in other countries, there are now institutes in Oman for the deaf, dumb and blind and for those with learning difficulties. The private Amal Institute for the Blind, with boarding facilities, was opened in January 2002. Around 600 students are currently being taught at special education schools, and blind people between the ages of 11 and 35 are now accepted in literacy classes. In an experimental system, students with learning difficulties in certain subjects are being taught in regular schools in some regions.

Through ongoing efforts towards Omanisation, over 76% of the Sultanate's teachers and over 97% of administrative and supervisory staff are now Omanis. The government is currently seeking to implement programmes to upgrade the qualifications of teachers and technical and administrative staff to BA level. In 2002, training programmes were held for employees, and in-service training centres have been set up in most of the Sultanate's educational regions. There has been a steady increase in the number of training programmes for teachers and supervisors in the Basic Education system. Some members of staff are enrolled on BA, MA and PhD degree courses, and school principals and inspectors are studying at Sultan Qaboos University for higher diplomas in school administration and inspection.

The School Environment Health and Hygiene Competition has been held annually since 1991, and His Majesty the Sultan's Cup is awarded to the winning region. Competition activities continue throughout the school year, and performance is evaluated by committees at the national and local level.

In the 70s and early-80s higher studies were only available through overseas scholarships, which were thus crucial in producing trained and qualified Omani personnel. However, in 1994 the government addressed the crucial need for higher education and the expansion of numbers and scope of higher educational institutions, both government and private, to meet the needs of the labour market.

The Higher Education Council was set up by Royal Decree No.65/98 in 1998 to draw up a general policy for higher education and scientific research in the Sultanate's higher educational institutions and to regulate student numbers and intake procedures. It is also responsible for evaluating the performance of existing institutions and approving proposals for new private universities.

The Accreditation Council was set up by Royal Decree No.74/01 in June 2001. The Board is an independent body responsible to the Higher Education Council. Three permanent committees of the Board make recommendations on accreditation of higher education institutions, accreditation of programmes of study and quality control.

Higher educational institutions began to appear in the Sultanate in the early 1980s with the establishment of the Omani Institute of Bankers (currently the Institute of Banking and Financial Studies) in 1983 and the Intermediate Teachers' Colleges (currently Colleges of Education) in 1984. The Technical Industrial College (currently the Higher Technical College) was opened in the same year to provide specialist vocational qualifications. Health institutes were also established to train Omani nurses, radiographers, physiotherapists and dental hygienists to work in the government hospitals. The former Institute of Sharia Jurisprudence, Counsel and Guidance has been divided into the Institute of Sharia Sciences for boys of 13-18 years, and the Sharia and Law College (see below).

The private sector became involved in higher education during the second half of the 1990s, and there are at present fourteen private colleges and one university, the University of Sohar.

Sultan Qaboos University was opened in 1986 and now educates male and female Omani students to the highest levels in a wide range of disciplines. It has seven colleges: Arts and Social Sciences, Commerce and Economics, Education, Sciences, Agriculture and Marine Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and Health Sciences.

The annual intake of students has risen from 557 in 1986 to almost 3,000 in the 2002-2003 academic year, when there was a total of approximately 12,000 students in its BA, MA and diploma programmes. In the previous academic year, 2001-2002, over 1,500 students graduated from these programmes. The rise in numbers is paralleled by a significant advance in academic standards. New programmes are being introduced to meet the needs of the Omani labour market, including additional BA programmes in the colleges of Education (Kindergartens and School Administration), Agriculture and Marine Sciences (Agricultural Economics), Arts and Social Sciences (Tourism, Translation and Social Services), Medicine and Health Sciences (Nursing) and Engineering (Architecture and Environmental Engineering). New postgraduate programmes have been inaugurated in the College of Engineering (an MA in Oil and Natural Gas and a Doctorate in Carbonic Studies). The latter is being administered in co-operation with the Virtual Reality Carbonic Study Centre, the College of Sciences and the Shell Corporation.

The university is expanding its scientific and academic research programmes, and its research and consultancy services are used by all government and private institutions. Research activities include academic research, applied research and strategic research funded by a Royal grant of RO500,000 each year. Current projects include research into the advance of desert sands and the dangers thus posed to roads and built-up areas, a study on corrosion, research into the development of fish products for the local and international markets, the use of sea water in greenhouse cultivation and a study on the incidence of abnormal blood pressure in the district of Nizwa.

SQU has sponsored a number of other research projects and has set up about ten research centres. Those inaugurated during the 2001-2002 academic year include the Sultan Qaboos University Centre for Environmental Studies and Research, which aims to collect and publish data on the local environment for international reference, the SQU-Omantel Joint Centre for Telecommunications and Information Technology Research, the Oil and Gas Research Centre, the Water Research Centre, which seeks to develop water resources and prevent pollution, and the Centre for Omani Studies, which promotes activities in the economic, social and cultural spheres and collects and publishes relevant documents.

SQU promotes relations and exchanges of expertise with universities and academic institutions in other countries. These universities include Waseda University in Japan, the Japanese Petroleum Co-operation Centre, the Japanese Water Promotion Centre, the University of the United Arab Emirates, Aachen University in Germany, and a number of well-established universities in the United States, Britain and Australia.

A generous donation from the Sultan has facilitated a trip to Spain and the Netherlands for SQU's top students of 2002-2003. The University has also organised a number of lectures, seminars, competitions and religious programmes as well as sports and leisure activities for the students.

The six Colleges of Education (which are located around the country) provide Omani teachers with comprehensive university level training that covers all relevant professional, educational and cultural areas. Subjects taught are Islamic education, Arabic, mathematics, computers, chemistry, biology, physics, geography, history and life skills.

The Colleges of Education have an intake of over 2,000 students per year. In the 2002-2003 academic year 8,529 male and female students enrolled. They included 480 male and female teachers with intermediate diplomas studying for BA degrees. From 1997-1998 to the end of the 2001-2002 academic year a total of 8,571 male and female students graduated from these colleges.

In January 2002 the Colleges of Education employed some 926 male and female personnel. The 605 academic staff included 77 Omanis. All the administrative staff were Omanis. The proportion of non-Omanis on the academic side is high at present owing to the recent founding of the institutions and the time required for training academic staff. Some 52 students are currently on post-graduate (MA and PhD) scholarships abroad. The colleges' academic staff is expected to rise to around 20% by the end of the Sixth Five-Year Plan.

The Sharia and Law College was established in 1997 to train personnel in Sharia sciences, Islamic and legal studies to fill the posts created by the reform of the judiciary and auxiliary bodies such as the Public Prosecutor's Office, the clerks of the courts and the legal profession. Other factors such as foreign investment and the Sultanate's entry into the World Trade Organisation agreement influenced the need for legal and judicial expertise.

It consists of three main departments: the Islamic Sharia Department, the Law Department and the Usul al Din (Fundamentals of Religion) and Islamic Culture Department. The College awards BA degrees in both Islamic Sharia and the law. During the 2000-2003 academic year the College had an intake of 170 male and female students. The first batch of 103 students graduated in 2001 and a second batch of 104 students graduated in 2002.

Military Higher Education institutions are the Police College at the Sultan Qaboos Academy for Police Sciences in Nizwa, the Royal Air Force of Oman's technical training institutes, the Royal Guard of Oman Technical College and the Institute of Topographical Sciences.

Private higher education in the Sultanate has evolved considerably since it was first promulgated in 1996, with a gradual increase in the number and types of colleges and universities. Student intake has increased from 2,079 (males and females) in the 1999-2000 academic year to 5,496 in 2001-2002.

The Government supports private institutions by the provision of land, exemption from some customs duties and grants equivalent to 50% of paid-up capital up to a maximum of OR3 million. The Higher Education Council and other government departments offers support by awarding annual scholarships for private institutions to 1000 male and female students from families on social security.

Following the recent opening of Oman's first private medical college, a private pharmacy college (in partnership with West Virginia University School of Pharmacy), and an agreement for academic, technical and administrative cooperation was signed between Dhofar Dhofar University and the American Beirut University. This will enable Omanis to be trained for positions currently held by expatriates.

Most private academic institutions have links with outside bodies to ensure high standards, enabling them to award recognised qualifications.

The Higher Studies Scholarships Committee awards annual full or partial scholarships for study abroad at the MA or PHD level from the Government itself or from individual Government departments as well as from several Omani companies. There are currently 80 full scholarships for first university degrees or postgraduate studies including MA and PhD courses. Other options for overseas study include funding by full or partial grants offered by a foreign state, and full-time or extra-mural study funded by the student himself. Cultural attaches' and educational offices supervise the Omani scholars in each country and liaise over other academic matters. The Government also offers scholarships at private institutions within the Sultanate, and 3,000 students are currently enrolled under this scheme.

At present five technical colleges, open to students who have obtained the general secondary certificate, offer three-year courses leading to diplomas in the following subjects: commercial studies, information technology (IT), science, engineering and structural engineering. In the 2002-2003 academic year new courses were introduced in architectural drawing, pharmacology (assistant pharmacists) and insurance. The government has begun designing courses tailored to the labour market and, following a needs analysis, prepared an integrated syllabus was introduced in the 2003-2004 academic year. The government provides partial grants and a monthly living allowance of RO 50 to students on limited incomes.

In response to the growing numbers of general secondary graduates, the intake at the technical colleges has been increased so that all 3,426 applicants for the current academic year can be accepted. A total of 1,246 students graduated from technical colleges in 2002, representing a 9% increase from the previous year. Steps are being taken to to transform the Higher Technical College in Muscat to an institution granting BA degrees, and similar upgrading of the technical colleges in Nizwa, Salalah, Ibra and Musana'a is taking place. Two new colleges are being established in Shinas and Ibri.

There are four vocational training centres: Seeb, Saham, Ibri and Sur. The 2-year training courses aim to produce skilled artisans in the following disciplines: electrical and motor vehicle mechanics, general electricity, electronics, refrigeration and air conditioning, general mechanics, carpentry and construction. This year a total of 1,861 trainees have enrolled. Under the current five-year plan (2001-2005) the government aims to increase the centres' intake capacity to 2000 trainees, improve the graduates' technical and vocational proficiency and help to raise Omanisation levels by supplying graduates to the labour market.

The government oversees the private vocational training institutes and centres. In 2002 it began implementing the national projects programme, which covers a range of technical, administrative and other occupational fields. Some 1,506 nationals enrolled on the programme's courses within the Sultanate, while a further 147 were sent on training courses abroad. A number of agreements were signed for the training and employment of nationals in various fields, including 1,000 in the oil and gas sector.

A New Labour Law was issued in 2003 (Royal Decree No.35/2003) in recognition of the development that have occurred in the labour market since the original law No.34/73,and its subsequent amendment. The new Law contains changes to provisions regarding the rights of both employers and employees. A complete database of national and expatriate manpower in the Sultanate is being produced with New permit measures for expatriate labour.

The Social Security system assists needy families without a breadwinner by issuing monthly benefits under the provisions of the Social Security law. Those eligible include orphans, the disabled, widows, divorced women, unmarried girls, the elderly, and prisoners' families. In 2002, 46,743 cases received a total of RO 24,150,413, including the 2002 Eid al Fitr and Eid al Adha grants, compared to just 131 cases nationwide in 1973. The provision of on-the-spot services to citizens has also increased correspondingly.

In 2002 there were nineteen Social Development Departments overseeing seven centres, monitoring and processing requests for assistance as well as carrying out a range of social research programmes. Social security benefits are now transferred to the banks to enable ease of payment. A smart card system has recently been introduced for people on social security and all legal data collected in a single reference volume in order to simplify procedures and facilitate dealings with different ministries and government departments.

In addition to social security benefits, relief for families is also provided in the event of natural disasters. In 2002, 3,709 such cases received a total of RO 556,466. Emergency assistance is also provided to help those on limited incomes or social security in meeting the costs of essential services such as power or water. In addition, kidney failure patients receive cash assistance for hospital visits. In 2002, 8,540 such cases received a total of RO 463,219 and assistance in the form of tents, tarpaulins, blankets, mats and other items.

In 2002, 954 cases in the "specific groups" category received surgical aids and other types of equipment. These groups are exempted from the cost of renewing motor vehicle registration and from charges normally payable for cards for domestic servants and chauffeurs. Parking spaces for the disabled are free of charge. Special discounts are given on personal motor vehicles, some items of domestic equipment, and fares on Oman National Transport Co buses. Discounts of 50% were given on the cost of Oman Air, Gulf Air, Kuwait Air, Saudia, Qatar Airlines and Emirates tickets for the disabled and their companions.

A new experimental home care scheme for the disabled and elderly was introduced recently, and there has been progress on an agricultural centre project for those suffering from mental disabilities.

Provision of technical and administrative rehabilitation for the Sultanate's handicapped children has been introduced through the Wafa Voluntary Social Centres. This pioneering scheme is based on a philosophy of community-based rehabilitation and involves both the public and private sectors in the provision of welfare services to handicapped children in their homes. By the end of 2002 there were seventeen such centres, staffed by 270 female volunteers, serving around 1,510 handicapped children

The Centre for the Care and Rehabilitation of the Disabled, established in 1987, has provided vocational training and education to equip the disabled for entry into the labour market. Specialist staff members help the disabled to develop their skills and potential through a range of activities and programmes that enable them to become self-sufficient and contribute to their communities.

In the 2001-2002 academic year, some 49 male and female students with hearing or mobility disabilities graduated in carpentry, metalwork, tailoring of dishdashas, domestic science, administration, computers, handicrafts and manual trades. For the third successive year the Centre is running a successful on-the-job training programme for its prospective graduates. The programme shows private sector establishments the employment potential of the students and enables them to experience life in the workplace while learning practical skills.

The Centre for the Care and Rehabilitation of the Disabled's severely handicapped children's welfare section has been upgraded to Department level. It now oversees a home that provides social welfare and medical care for disabled boys and girls from 3 to 14 years old. The Home, staffed by physiotherapists and specialists in functional therapy, also teaches families how to look after handicapped children at home and gives physiotherapy training to female volunteers from the Wafa Voluntary Centres and to Health Ministry staff. The Home can accommodate up to 120 handicapped children and is expected to expand its intake capacity in the near future.

Increasing importance is being attached to disabled sports following the successes achieved by Oman's disabled sports team in various regional and international events. In 2002, the team won several medals (including nine gold) in the Gulf Disabled Athletics Championship in Saudi Arabia, the Gulf Weight Lifting Championship organised by the Bahraini Disabled Sports Association, and the Arab Championship for the Mentally Disabled in Beirut.

In September 2002 the Arab Gulf Co-operation Council (AGCC) states' fourth goal ball championship for the blind was held at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher. This was the first championship for the disabled to be hosted by the Sultanate and was highly successful, receiving wide media attention.

To help needy families become self-sufficient support is being given to a number of craft, commercial and service projects. These include spinning and weaving, foodstuffs, ceramics and palm-leaf weaving, as well as the national tailoring and needlework training scheme. Subsidises are given to small business projects for those eligible for social security benefits or assistance. In 2002 the Ministry approved contributions totalling RO 113,500 for 55 projects in various parts of the country.

A National Local Community Development Programme has been introduced in recent years. The programme aims to promote public awareness about the need to work with government institutions at the local community level. It has generated various projects administered by thirty-one development centres with the assistance of the local people to provide basic services in the villages such as nursery schools for rural children.

A radio programme, Social Magazine, discusses social work and publicly disseminates research and results. In response to the recommendations of a United Nations committee, a training course was recently held to prepare sociologists to carry out a wide-ranging study on the treatment of children in the Omani family. The Sultanate is a signatory to the Agreement on the Rights of the Child and has already presented its first paper on the situation of Omani children.

In order to improve their status, women need training and qualifications, and rural and bedouin women in particular need support in their efforts to improve their economic, social and cultural standards, as well as incentives to participate in the development process.

Omani women are encouraged to become involved in voluntary social work through the Omani Women's Associations (OWAs), and 38 branches have been opened in most of the wilayats. Eleven of these branches were established in 2002. Back in 1984, the OWAs were offered guidelines for drawing up their constitutions, specifying their aims and fulfilling their role in the field of social care. The OWAs' programmes of seminars, lectures and training courses on social, cultural, health and religious topics help women improve their social position and encourage them to contribute to the life of their communities. At the end of 2002 the OWAs had 3,592 members.

A Women's Voluntary Work Co-ordination Committee has been set up to regulate the activities of the OWAs and help Omani women to play a higher-profile role in the state's economic and social development programmes. The Committee is carrying out a series of studies aimed at improving the position of women. In this regard it is creating a database on women's needs, devising a framework for developing the women's sector and regulating the relationship between the Sultanate's women's organizations, and regional and international organisations.

Twelve Women's Training Centres in various regions, some established by the government and some through local initiative, have been set up with two main aims: one of improving the productivity of Omani families so that they can increase their incomes by selling work produced in their free time, and secondly preserving the country's heritage. The Centres also provide facilities such as kindergartens, information programmes and field visits.

The government is eager to see Omani women participate in the international arena as well as at home. Omani women took part in a number of forums in 2002 including the forums on Women and the Media in the United Arab Emirates, Women and the Economy in Kuwait and Women and Politics in Qatar. They also attended Arab Women's Summit meetings and several workshops and seminars, at which they made presentations on the growing status of women in Oman and their role in their country's development.

Child care programmes are the top priority of the governnment since children form the basis of the current and future life of the community. The private sector has been encouraged to open nursery schools so that working mothers can leave their children in good care. At the end of 2002 there were 28 private nursery schools, visited regularly by inspectors to ensure that they observe the relevant regulations and conform to social and Islamic values.

Bearing in mind the stabilising influence of the family, the foster family system has been adopted and a 1988 decision accordingly regulates the selection of suitable families. At the end of 2002, 166 boys and girls were living with foster families.

The Children's Care Home was opened in 1995 as a groundbreaking step designed to provide children in need with comprehensive care. The government encourages children to take part in events such as International Children's Day as well as in camps and conferences.

The government aims to give young people a fully rounded education by providing activities and experience in the sporting, cultural, intellectual, social and scientific spheres, and to excel internationally in these areas through the programmes of the General Organisation for Youth, Sports and Cultural Activities (GOYSCA). GOYSCA's wide range of youth activities, including camps, educational trips, competitions, literary forums, drama, art workshops and science training courses, are held in several parts of the country to ensure maximum access by the young. Over 64,000 young people have benefited from its programmes to date

During the year under review football has had notable successes, eg. as winners of the Arab Gulf cooperation Council club championship in Qatar, and silver medals for the AGCC team championship in Saudi Arabia, and for the national youth team in the 7th International Friendship Championship in Muscat. When Several international teams (including Brazilian and Chinese youth team) also participated.

Numerous sporting achievements were recorded in swimming, athletics, hockey and weight-lifting, and for the first time a 19-years old Omani is now Oman's youngest national golf champion. The national weight-lifting team won 27 medals in various categories and came in third place in the AGCC championship in Kuwait. Teams also participated in shooting, basketball, volleyball, handball, tennis, cycling, badminton, fencing and rowing events.

The Oman Olympic Committee (OOC) staged 'Olympic Days' during 2002, which were attended by over 8,000 participants from the Sultanate. Abroad, the OOC oversaw the Sultanate's participation in football, shooting and athletics events in the Asian Games in Pusan, South Korea. The Sultanate was one of the first departure points in Asia for the latest Asian Games torch's journey.

The Science Club has held training courses in various fields, including computers, electronics, photography and montage, which have been attended by 333 boys and girls. Young members of the Science Club came third in the AGCC's science competition. The Youth Theatre too holds training courses and workshops and also stages plays at home and abroad. GOYSCA's Youth Art Studio organises various courses, including oil painting, and arranges exhibitions and competitions. So far, 194 boys and girls have attended these courses. The Youth Band and Choral Singers held summer courses attended by over 35 boys and girls.

The National Organisation of Scouts and Guides (NOSG) was launched in 1975. It trains leaders, promotes international friendship, develops environmental and community awareness and helps individuals realise their potential. It encourages scouts and guides to spend their free time in beneficial and healthy activities.

Within Oman, the Scout Band participated in events in several regions, including the Salalah Khareef Festival. Six annual scout and guide camps were held for nearly 2,000 participants of all ages. Summer camps for scouts and guides were held in the Governorate of Dhofar.

Other activities, attended by around 6,600 scouts, guides and leaders, were held at the scout and guide commissions, and these included celebrations to mark the anniversary of His Majesty's installation in 1983 as Chief Scout of the Sultanate, full-day camps for cubs and brownies, weekend camps for scouts and guides, training courses for heads of patrols and local scout and guide competitions.

The membership in 2002 consisted of 11,181 scouts and 7,943 guides in 466 scout packs and 362 guide packs. There were 647 scout and 571 guide leaders and assistant leaders.