Committee holds orientation meeting to explain Excellence criteria

The Excellence Day Review Committee held an orientation meeting on June 16, 2008 to explain in details, the rules and criteria of the Education Excellence Awards. The committee was formed to study the old criteria and expand on them. Held at the Al Sharq Hotel, the meeting was attended by Dr. Hamda Al-Sulaiti, the Assistant Director of the Evaluation Institute, Dr. Nawal Al-Sheikh, Manager, SEC Office of Communications and a group of senior officials including Aisha Al-Hashimi, Director of the Schools Evaluation Office, Mrs. Aina Obeidan, Educational Expert at the Office of H.E. the Minister of Education, Mrs. Buthaina Al- Naimi, Assistant Director of Schools at Qatar Foundation.

The members reiterated that the objectives behind developing the criteria of the excellence day awards were to achieve transparency and uniformity during the selection of the nominees for the award. The awards are considered to be the highest the country offers to its citizens.

The attendees were divided into groups based on the Award category, which included best research project, university graduates, secondary graduates, whole school performance, outstanding teacher and Ph.D holders.

The gathering also reiterated that the Education Excellence Day celebration aims to reward high achieving citizens of Qatar, encourage development of performance, support positive trends towards scientific research and knowledge, enhance creativity of researchers and students, and guide individual energies towards excellence.

During her speech, Dr. Nawal Al-Sheikh said that the Education Excellence Day is the crown on the head of the academic toppers. She added that Qatar will celebrate this day every year in continuation to the Education Day which the country has been celebrating for 44 years. She then outlined the awards values in terms of medals and financial rewards that will be awarded to the achievers. PhD award nominees should be Qatari nationals and have been awarded an excellent degree from an accredited university in the same academic year of the nomination.