New Policies Correct System’s Weaknesses and Support Reform
Guest
Columnist Nora Al-Mosefri is a columnist for
Al-Raya daily newspaper and the newly appointed operator of Al-Rafaa Independent Primary
School for Girls.
Human societies are distinguished from others by their social mobility and
constant change. Change is the natural response of people who strive hard to
achieve their goals. Of the many changes Qatar has witnessed in recent years,
thanks to the vision of the Emir and his consort Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser
Al-Missnad, one of the most important is setting the goal of building Qatar’s
future generations through educational reform.
This could not be achieved without setting into motion a revolution to change
the Ministry of Education (MoE) school system. Some people think making small
improvements in the current educational system would be enough. But the leaders’
vision targeted a much more ambitious, far-reaching objective: an Education for
a New Era.
Education for a New Era began with the transformation of traditional MoE schools
into government-funded Independent Schools based on four main principles:
autonomy, accountability, variety, and choice.
Like all other change initiatives, educational reform has provoked community
reaction. There are enthusiastic supporters, adamant opponents, and many in
between who are aware of the negative and positive aspects of the new system.
I have followed the implementation of the reform closely since its launch for
several reasons. I am a writer and feel that it’s the reader’s right to know
what is going on. I am an educator and education is one of my interests. I am a
mother and want my children to receive a better education than I did.
I have written a lot about the reform initiative and discussed many issues and
problems which emerged due to what I believe were mistakes in the selection of
operators, in the application of rules, and in some management practices.
People took me for someone who was opposed to the reform initiative and was
fighting against the idea of opening Independent Schools. That was a mistake, as
people who read my ideas deeply and wisely understood.
To my critics, I was seeking an initiative that was free from any errors and
defects, although I believe that human efforts can be right or wrong and there
is nothing perfect but Allah’s deeds.
Rather, what I was seeking were changes to the reform so that its sole strategic
objective would be creating innovative, skillful, and critical-thinking Qataris.
Recently,
my hopes came true, in a policy
response which was not unexpected from
a leadership which listens to different opinions and remarks in order to
evaluate rules and change what needs to be changed. The Independent School
Scheme requires the assistance of experts, advisors, researchers and all those
who are seeking true change. These people hold the treasure of knowledge and
opinions waiting for a chance to be expressed, showing the leadership’s vision
and noble objectives.
The recent amendments affect perhaps the most important pillar of the
Independent Schools, the operator, which in my view was one of the previous
short comings of the system. Most importantly, the changes put the school
operations into the hands of educators who have spent their lives serving
education and burned their fingers to light the candles of the future. Not every
educator is suitable to meet the challenges of leading an Independent School,
but many are.
Another
recent decision has been issued to reschedule the large budgets the country
provided to the Independent School system to meet school requirements. The
selection of a suitable school leader will help reconcile expenditures in favor
of the school. Restricting the budget and controlling expenditures will correct
the public perception that people are making profit from education.
Some people think that operators are punished by the transformation of the
educational organizations that operate Independent Schools from limited
liability corporations to non-profit institutions. I advise these people to
reconsider their opinions because whoever accepted the task of operating an
Independent School believed in Allah’s supervision of him, and this is greater
than any other legal action that can be taken.
Another important change that caught my eye was the issuance of the Personnel
Policy for Qatari employees at Independent Schools. This new policy clarifies
some obscure points of the previous system. Now Qatari individuals will know
their rights and duties and will accept work at the Independent Schools with
open eyes and clear minds. There is a policy to respect their rights and
regulate their duties included in their job descriptions. This will temper
operators’ authority to recruit and terminate employees.
Lastly, what I expect from the series of changes to be implemented in the reform
initiative is the professional development which occupies a large portion of
Independent Schools’ plans. The recent changes focused on employees’
professional development, which creates qualified staff capable of performing
their duties and fulfilling their greatest responsibility: educating our
children.
I advise all employees to take advantage of this opportunity and make the best
use of professional development to strengthen their performance and become true
professionals, so that the real spirit of Education for a New Era will be
achieved.
All these changes have encouraged me to join the new educational system, hoping
to become a part of Qatar’s history, even if it is a small part. Working at an
Independent School with the generous resources available makes life more
rewarding and the experience more interesting.
I conclude my statement by praying to Allah to help us all bear our
responsibilities and earn the community’s trust.
