This is a great article. In fact, I was just yesterday talking to a friend about the imposed conformity and lack of free thought that (unfortunately) pervades the Middle East, so it couldn't have come at a more appropriate time.
The author gets to the heart of the problem, which consists of 2 major elements. First, that any idea that even hints at a digression from the strict religious rule, is both heresy, and inherently incorrect. They must be falsities. Second, that despite pouring money into our educational institutions, Arab students are among the lowest-ranked globally, because of the methods in which students are taught.
I really liked that the author sought out both students of varying disciplines, as well as comments from some of the older generation. It displays a shift in thought among successive generations. Also effective was his use of a translated quote from a pioneering 13th century Arab physician, Ibn Alnafis. The inclusion of the quote shows that this phenomenon is definitely a new one. It's not an inherent lazy Arab gene we carry, which I've overheard many people say.
Arabs have been at the forefront of science and discovery throughout history, and I believe the religious and political climates are what have turned the once bubbling and inquisitive soles stagnant.