SEC Signs Operators to Run New Independent Schools

Doha, Qatar (June 6, 2004) – The Supreme Education Council today signed agreements with the school operators who will be responsible for running the 12 new Independent Schools scheduled to open for the first time in September. The signing of the agreements marks another milestone in Qatar’s sweeping K-12 (kindergarten through 12th grade) education reform effort called “Education for a New Era.” The list of approved operators and the schools they will run for the 2004-05 academic year is attached

The school operators were selected through a rigorous review and approval process conducted by the SEC’s Education Institute over a period of several months. The Institute is responsible for supporting and monitoring the new Independent Schools.

All applicants were required to form a legal corporation, submit comprehensive financial and educational plans, and undergo numerous evaluations. Of the 15 finalists, 12 operators were chosen and given 3-year agreements to run an Independent School. All those selected have a background in education or business and are committed to the goals of education reform. Many are current and former teachers and principals.

In subsequent years, additional operators will be selected as more Independent Schools are established. “I welcome and commend these operators as partners with the SEC in our effort to build an education system that engages and inspires our children,” said Adel Al-Sayed, Director of the Education and Evaluation Institutes. “We have asked the people of Qatar to support education reform, and these individuals have stepped forward to commit their time, energy and expertise to this important cause. We will all benefit from their dedication.”

Independent Schools are government-funded, public schools and are an essential part of the effort to establish a modern, world-class education system in Qatar. The goal of these schools is to better engage and motivate students by using innovation and creativity to make learning more exciting. Each Independent School is granted autonomy to determine its own mission and teaching methods and to hire its own teachers and staff, but will be subject to oversight by the Education Institute to ensure accountability and quality.

The schools will have the freedom to design their own curriculums but must teach Arabic, English, mathematics and science at a level that meets international standards, as a means of ensuring that students are learning at a level comparable to their counterparts throughout the developed world. To ensure that Qatari culture and values are preserved, all 12 new schools will also teach religion and Islamic studies, in addition to other subjects.

Tuition is free for Qataris and others eligible for public education. Variety and choice are two key aspects of the education reform effort and will be phased in over time with regard to the new schools. As more Independent Schools are established in the coming years, the number of educational alternatives in Qatar will expand to ultimately provide parents with the opportunity to choose the schools that best meet the needs of their children.