The Media Reform Plan (MRP) received from the Government, whose implementation is currently in progress was found to fulfill the BICI recommendations related to media. It was drafted based on proposals made by French media experts to relax censorship and fund programs to enhance participation by everyone.
The MRP calls for the establishment of a High Media Council; the consolidation of all media laws into one law; and the establishment of a world-class educational institute to train future journalists and other communication professionals. Moreover, it provides for the construction of an integrated Media City to attract Arab and international radio and television media companies, develop Bahraini media in partnership with the private sector and pave the way for the establishment of private satellite channels.
With regards to those recommendations related to the development of educational programs appropriate for current conditions, the National Commission cited recent reforms of academic curricula, including the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Education and UNESCO.
Other educational proposals call for the development of primary, secondary and tertiary education programs promoting religious, political and other forms of tolerance, as well as the importance of upholding human rights and the rule of law and implementing regulations to safeguard the sanctity of educational institutes in line with international laws.
The Commission also proposed reconsideration of social education and citizenship curricula at all educational levels, and to assign competent education experts supported by Arab and international professionals to prepare and issue education programs renouncing current attitudes of rejecting sectarian, ethnic and cultural diversity. The aim is to transform this curricula into a foundation upon which to foster more tolerant attitudes among youth.
In addition to the activation of parent-teacher associations, schools will also be responsible for organizing periodic events and meetings for parents that will create a bond between families and schools. Rehabilitation programs for the education sector are currently under development, with professional ethics based on tolerance, acceptance of others and coexistence of the various segments of the Bahraini society.
The Commission approved the work already in progress to issue a code of ethics in accordance with international standards, regulating the standards of the education profession and its relations with the constituents of the Bahraini Society.
The High Council for Islamic Affairs, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, have been assigned to rewrite Islamic education curricula at the three levels of education in order to include common denominators between all the people of Bahrain so that education curricula takes into consideration the values of pluralism and coexistence