Students from siege nations safe in Qatar, says Minister

The Peninsula

No action has been taken against students from the siege countries studying in Qatar and they will continue their education as normal, said Minister of Education and Higher Education H E Dr Mohammed Abdul Wahed Ali Al Hammadi.

He said Qatari students who returned from the blockading countries have been accommodated in public and private schools in Qatar. In regard to the university students forced to disrupt their education in the siege countries, the Minister pointed out that there is cooperation and coordination with Qatar University and the Community College of Qatar to enable the students to continue their studies, while some sought prior approval to study abroad.

Speaking at a press conference at the Ministry of Education to mark beginning of the new academic year, the Minister noted the ministry will continue its efforts to develop human and knowledge capital by providing students with the necessary competencies for each stage of study.

On the educational vouchers, the Minister said there are 24,592 Qatari students benefiting from the school vouchers in 78 schools, while 8 private schools out of 12 schools which were deprived last year from school vouchers have resumed after getting national accreditation. He said that literacy in Qatar is more than 99 percent, stressing that local printing presses are able to print textbooks better than before at a lower cost and in record time. “This academic year’s priorities are inspired by the speech of

H H the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani’s delivered on July 21,” said the Minister.

The Emir outlined a road-map for future options and how to deal with the challenges posed by the current circumstances, said Minister Al Hammadi, adding that the Emir called for the development of the educational, research and information institutions, and for diligence, creativity, independent thinking, constructive initiatives, attention to the academic achievement in all specialities, self-reliance and fighting laziness and dependency, along with other values that consists the bases of Qatar’s educational system and the pillars of its national vision.

Minister Al Hammadi said that a comprehensive review of the curricula would be conducted in order to consolidate national identity and reflect the national needs of the current stage and the vision of the future state.

Al Hammadi also highlighted the Ministry’s attention to the quality and output of higher education, especially in science, technology, engineering and mathematics for the knowledge economy.

The Minister underlined that these priorities will be achieved as long as the student is the focus of the educational process, in an integration and consistency with an efficient school leadership, active and effective teaching, a curricula that include the latest educational competencies, an evaluation system that employs assessment data for better learning, attractive school environment and effective community partnership that makes education everyone’s responsibility.

In messages directed to students, the Minister called upon the students to work hard focusing on their education, improve academic achievements, raise the ceiling of their ambitions and work to achieve the academic goals and aims.

He added: “Students have different abilities and teachers need to know their characteristics, knowledge, abilities, tendencies, levels of thinking, and preferred patterns of learning, in order to adopt appropriate strategies to meet their individual differences, especially the gifted ones.”

The Minister said that schools must provide extracurricular activities to meet the physical, psychological, social, health and scientific needs of students, which improve their academic performance, develop their social skills and increase their confidence.

In his speech, the Minister urged parents to strengthen communication with schools and develop the positive values and attitudes of their children towards education, highlighting the important role of parents as one of the most effective ways to improve academic achievement enhancing learning speed and motivation.

The Minister praised the role of the media, opinion leaders and columnists in Qatar for their constructive role in explaining and analyzing educational policies.