Resources: News Articles

Restrictions Suggested for Independent Schools
Islam On Line-Net – March 17, 2004
Education reform is moving forward in Qatar, consistent with broader reforms and developments throughout the Arab world. However, some Qatari parents recently requested the government to put more controls and restrictions on the new Independent Schools.

The State of Qatar sets a new educational system, focuses on building new independent schools, governmentally funded, stand to international Curriculum standards while preserving the academic religious studies.
The new independent schools will have full autonomy in choosing their staff and also the academic curriculum and methods.
Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani the Heir Apparent of the State of Qatar and the chair of the Supreme Education Council announced this educational initiative.

Success for “Education for a New Era” Forum
Al Watan – March 16, 2004
His Highness The Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamed bin Khalifa Al-Thani yesterday called upon all citizens in Qatar to support the comprehensive education initiative to reform the present school system and make it compatible with international standards. As the Chair of the Supreme Education Council, the Heir Apparent delivered the keynote address at a Forum on the reform effort, known as “Education for a New Era.” Her Highness Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al-Missnad attended the Forum

His Highness the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamed bin Khalifa Al-Thani, chair of the Supreme Education Council, called upon all citizens of Qatar to support the education reform
initiative to reform the present school system and make it compatible with international standards.

Qatar Educational Reform Plans to Adopt International Curriculum Standards

Doha revealed today the main characteristics of the Qatari reform plan. The new educational reform plans to do dramatic changes on the current educational system in Qatar. The new initiative called “Education for a New Era” will be announced today under the auspices of Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani the chair of the Supreme Education Council (SEC).
SEC will be responsible for implementing the new educational policy in Qatar. AlHayat stressed also that the religious studies will be preserved in the new independent schools created by the new Educational system

A New Zealand organization is to play a key role in bringing educational reforms to the Middle East. Multi Serve Education Trust has reached agreement with the State of Qatar to help upgrade the oil-rich country's education system. The reforms include giving considerably more autonomy both to some existing schools and to others which are yet to be built.

Two years ago, well before the war, President George W. Bush promised an effort to improve education in the Islamic world. The nub of the problem is curricular reform. In the best of circumstances, reforming a curriculum is a daunting task, “harder than moving a graveyard,” according to educators.

Rigid Qatar schools undergo radical transformation into modern institutions Changes include greater autonomy for state-owned places of learning

Schools in Qatar are under radical transformation. The Gulf state is changing its rigid, centralized low-performing education system to one that is far more modern, self-managed and effective, according to senior education officials.

Sweeping changes involve greater autonomy to government-owned schools, accountability, diversity and parental choice, explained Adel al-Sayed, director of the Evaluation Institute at the Supreme Educational Council (SEC), which oversees educational reform in the country.

Students are learning less Islam and more English in the tiny desert sheikdom of Qatar. Prestigious American universities, such as Cornell with its medical school and Carnegie Mellon with its business school, are being lured to set up branch campuses

The oil-rich Arab Gulf State of Qatar has chosen the New Zealand model to introduce reforms in its government-owned schools and help them become autonomous institutions.

Auckland-based Multi-Serve Education Trust (MSET) has been contracted to initially assist five schools in Doha in a multimillion-dollar modernization and self-management programme, with the potential to cover more schools in the future.