The
entrance of Al-Wajbah Preparatory Independent School
for Girls has a humble
appearance that seems at odds with the newly renovated neatness of many
Independent Schools.
But a look inside the school reveals a curriculum rich in content and a
management and staff dedicated to realizing the school’s motto of “Achievements
Beyond Expectations”.
To smooth the transition to an Independent School, operators Rashid Al-Saadi and
Yousif Al-Gaeid last year called parents, school staff and students to a meeting
to highlight the academic and lifetime benefits the school had to offer. The
discussion allowed some in the audience to express their fears about the new
system, while others took up the flag of reform.
Al-Wajbah, which has approximately 485 students in Grades 7 through 9, opened
its doors as an
Independent School in September 2005. It is located in the Old Rayyan area of the Qatari capital.
The school is set to undergo another major change in the fall: to make room for
the continued expansion of Education City, Al-Wajbah will move to a new building
near Landmark Mall. School officials say they will bus in current students, most
of whom have indicated they will renew their enrollment. The school will be
renamed Al- Dehail South Preparatory Independent School for Girls.
“Regardless of the change of venue, Al-Wajbah’s philosophy will stay the same.
The philosophy of the school is to work in partnership with the community to
ensure that each student develops and puts her knowledge and skills into
practice,” Mr. Al-Gaeid said.
The school also places heavy emphasis on its curriculum, which includes the
subjects comprising the Supreme Education Council’s curriculum standards
(Arabic, English, math and science); Islamic and social studies from the
Ministry of Education; and a number of subjects not included in traditional
public schools.
These include information and communications technology, and design technology,
both of which are taught in English. The school teaches performing arts, music,
and visual arts. Twice a week girls are instructed in the basics of respecting
human rights, using Amnesty International’s human rights curriculum. In
addition, the school has introduced units on citizenship and character-building
in order to reinforce students’ civic knowledge.
The school is also eager to encourage students to find links among different
subjects on the
curriculum. In January, in cooperation with the Qatari
government’s Department of Meteorology, it held an exhibit of experiments and
art called the Junior Meteorologist Exhibition. The exhibit brought together
teachings in science and math, as well as art and the environment. The winning
three paintings from the Al-Wajbah exhibition were sent to Geneva to compete in
a World Meteorological Organization event.
Besides teaching computer skills to students, the school itself has made use of
technology. School principal Mona Al-Saadi said the school is part of the
Knowledge-Net of the Supreme Council of Information and Communication
Technology, which seeks to link schools. “Al-Wajbah Preparatory was the first
Independent School to launch a website the same time it became an Independent
School. Through this website Al-Wajbah posts its education curriculum, the
activities of the students and all the achievements of the students or staff,”
Mrs. Al-Saadi said.
Mrs. Al-Saadi will become the principal and the operator in the fall, bringing
the school in line with new regulations by the Supreme Education Council for
operating an Independent School.
“We are very happy with the new methods of teaching and learning. In the past
teachers made us keep writing and repeating lessons which made us depressed. But
now we do our school work in a very pleasant way and enjoy it,” said Fatima
Abdul Aziz Al-Khalili, a seventh grader.
“I have two daughters in this school and I have followed the changes that have
happened to them. They have become very eager to go to school and to study at
home,” added one mother.
