Capacity Building is integral to Education Reform

““Capacity building in humans is a long-term investment. Qatar’s Education reform requires that teachers are fully equipped with the knowledge and skills that empower them to carry out their tasks to the best of their ability,” said Sabah Al-Haidous, director of the Education Institute at the first professional development conference on Capacity Building in an Era of Reform held at the Four Seasons Hotel on March 1, 2006. “Our teachers need to master their tools and techniques so that they can make their classrooms places of discovery and innovation, and help their students attain higher levels of content understanding and improved performance.” Over 400 educators from Independent and Ministry of Education schools attended the conference.
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A team of international and local speakers tackled issues on professional development through capacity building from both perspectives.

“Capacity building includes all individuals in the educational community, regardless of the role they play. This is because different individuals impact the teaching and learning process in different ways which help create a generation equipped with the necessary elements of creativity and innovation,” said Ms. Hessa Al Aali, Professional development Officer at the Professional Development Office at the Education Institute. She gave a presentation on “Professional Development Strategic Plan for Capacity Building to Improve Quality of Teaching and Learning.”

Other presentations made included “Innovations in Capacity Building and Professional Development at Whole School Level" by Mr. Andrew Short, professional leader, Multi Serve Education Trust, “Innovations in Capacity Building and Professional Development at Individual teacher level” by Kenneth Campbell, project director, Mosaica Education and “Innovations in Capacity Building and Professional Development at Subject, Department, Age phase, Group and Team Level” by Ms. Gayle Anderson. She used an interesting example of the Science department at Al Duhail Independent Preparatory School for Girls.

Noura Alnesf from Al Bayan Educational Complex, Amal Saaman and Layla Al Sulaiti from Khalifa Independent Primary School for Girls also spoke on various aspects of the topic with particular reference to the professional development practices in their respective schools.