EDI announces its policies for learning resources

In the framework of the Supreme Education Council’s effort and further to the speech of HE the Minister of Education and Higher Education, Secretary-General of the Supreme Education Council which referred to the academic support that was offered to the independent schools through the provision of learning resources for all academic subjects, the Curriculum Standards Office of the Education Institute addressed all independent schools and asked them to inform parents about the latest developments and updates in regard to the learning resources and to provide them with guidance to deal with the educational resources.

This was part of a letter issued by Mrs. Sabah Al Haidoos, Director of Education Institute of the SEC, in which she congratulated the schools on the new academic year and thanked them for following up with children academic stream.

She added that the Education Institute had taken on its responsibility to promote community participation in order to achieve the highest goal set by the wise leadership for the development of educational course. Al-Haidoos added that they are opened for any consultation or advice in all fields, and that EI has done a set of objective procedures in order to provide a list of selected educational resources for all subjects and all stages and it was distributed to schools so that each school can choose and use the learning resources in accordance with their students’ needs.

Ms. Al-Haidoos, in her speech to parents, praised the importance of the active community participation, particularly parents’ participation which is considered essential to the success of the educational process in Qatar. She also said “EI would like to inform you, as key partners in the educational process with the following: First: The school will provide your son/ daughter with a book for each subject at the beginning of the academic year.

These books were selected in accordance with a set of standards to guarantee its suitability with the curriculum standards of subjects so that it presents the scientific materials in a manner characterized by modernity and precision containing a wide range of objective activities and exercises aimed at developing the skills, abilities and knowledge of students.

Second: Teachers at the school will provide your son/daughter with guidance and support to be able to use this book easily with the required educational depth.

Accordingly, the supportive actions will take many forms through the school for an effective use of the book, such as the following:

• Introduce students to the mechanism of the optimal use of the book to make the most of it in obtaining information, evolving knowledge and deducing and analyzing of the results. As well as viewing electronic copies of the topics and lessons of various source on the projector in the classroom during classes (in the scientific sources)

• Identify the pages numbers of the book for the student which contain the homework or the additional information or the content of the periodic application or the content of unit tests or projects or researches that students were assigned to do(scientific sources)

• Teachers will use secondary and supported resources to expand the student’s perceptions and enrich their knowledge. This use will be clear to the student as it is included in the work papers with the provision of appropriate guidance for that.

• This defining is done via a periodic letter to parents , or will be documented in students’ communication copybook, or any other effective way preferred by the teacher in order to set the weekly lessons according to the academic stage and the characteristic of students’ age.

Third: In order to complete the systematic students’ support for the optimal use of the resources and to develop their knowledge, the EI expects parents to perform a set of procedures that contributes in achieving this goal, such as:

• Parents personally get acquainted on the learning source for every subject, and browse it with their son/daughter and indicate the advantages and benefits of its use, especially in the elementary and preparatory stages.

• Encourage their children to read the text book as a learning source when they study at home and do the exercises and the various activities excreted by the book even if it was not required by the teacher.

• Parents view the pages numbers which were identified by the teachers for homework and the applications; and to make sure that students benefit from this guidance to fulfill their required tasks.

• They participate with their children in reading and reviewing various sources and books, promoting general culture and providing an environment that encourages reading at home.

• Guide children to maintain learning sources from damage or loss. She stressed that the effective use of learning resources:

• Will help in raising the level of learning of our students and strengthen their reviewing and researching for knowledge skills; and these skills are cumulative. This is what it takes to prepare students to join courses they deserve at high level universities when they graduate from secondary school.

• This will help students to achieve high grades in Qatar Comprehensive Educational Assessments (National Tests), internal assessments and international tests.

She also said that ‘learning does not stop at reading the student book only and the students have the capacities and the great potential in browsing and viewing through multiple modern means of communication. So encourage your children to search and view and contribute in supporting schools to achieve the optimal use of these sources and to form knowledge, skills and experience which will not stop any way on the student book only.

We also urge you to communicate with the school in case of the unavailability of what was stated in this document; and we in the EI are pleased to receive your comments and queries and we welcome your communication through the Information Center at the SEC.

Mr. Ibrahim Almanaay, Director of the Curriculum Standard Office of the EI of the SEC, instructed to conduct what needed in schools in providing a copy of the attached document of the circulation for each student. He also emphasized that this should be done in the first week of the academic year taking into consideration the delivery of this circular to students who are absent the next day when they are present.

The EI has welcomed to receive the parents comments in the case of non-receipt of their children of the learning resources mentioned before and invite them to communicate with the Information Center to allow the EI to follow up.

Do not hesitate to send your comments and enquiries to the Information Center at the EI or at the tower of the SEC.