2005: YEAR IN REVIEW

2005: YEAR IN REVIEW

Opening of 21 new Independent Schools in 2005

In fall 2005, Qatar opened its second group of innovative, student-centered Independent Schools. These 21 are in addition to the 12 schools that opened at the start of the 2004-05 academic year.

Completion and launch of curriculum standards

2005 saw the completion and full implementation of Qatar’s new internationally benchmarked curriculum standards in Arabic, English, mathematics, and science. These standards describe expectations for grades K-12 keeping in mind the developmental abilities of each grade level. Qatar is the first Arabic-speaking nation to develop educational standards for written and spoken Arabic. Each Independent School is required to offer a curriculum in Islamic studies. Schools may also design curricula in art, history, and other subjects.

Symposium on curriculum standards

On November 30, the Education Institute held a symposium on Qatar’s national curriculum standards. The event generated a lively dialogue on curriculum content, on how the curriculum standards are applied in the Independent Schools, and on the importance of using several educational resources as opposed to a single textbook.

Professional development oppor­tunities expand

In September, the Supreme Education Council announced professional development programs for teachers in Independent Schools. This created dozens of courses and training workshops designed to enhance teachers’ knowledge, skills, and understanding.

Hiwar Symposium

Hiwar, meaning “dialogue,” was the title of a symposium held on March 15, the first anniversary of the public launch of the reform. Experts from the Gulf region, Europe, and the U.S.A spoke on education topics including evaluation, assessment, and professional development, bringing international perspectives to issues that are important in Qatar’s education reform. The symposium offered educators the chance to talk about best practices and to engage in dialogue with reform officials about the progress of the new plans.

Boards of trustees established for Independent Schools

In 2005, all new Independent Schools were required to elect their boards of trustees. These volunteer boards provide an extra layer of oversight, accountability, and transparency within the schools and create a critical link to the community. Boards are composed primarily of parents but are also open to teachers, community members, or those with skills in law, finance, or other pertinent areas.

2004 assessment results announced in 2005

The Evaluation Institute released results of the Qatar Comprehensive Educational Assessment (QCEA), a comprehensive standardized test battery application conducted in 2004. The results suggested that females out-performed males in most grades and that non-Qatari students appeared to be doing better than Qatari students.

The now-improved version of the QCEA was administered again in the spring of 2005, with more than 80,000 students from Independent, Ministry of Education, and private Arabic schools taking part; these results will be reported in February 2006.

School Report Cards prepared and released for all government schools

A selection of the data collected in 2005 from students, parents, teachers, principals, and other personnel in every Ministry of Education, Independent and private Arabic school in Qatar was reported in the first annual School Report Card (SRC). An important aspect of education reform, SRCs aid parents’ decisions about schooling, better informing them about schools and encour­aging their increased involvement in their child’s education.

Establishment of HEI and administration of new scholarship program

The Higher Education Institute (HEI) of the Supreme Education Council was established in March 2005 to ensure that Qatari citizens can pursue their aspirations for college and careers by studying at some of the best and most prestigious universities in the world. One of HEI’s primary duties is overseeing scholarship programs for Qatari students and working professionals who are within five years of their high school graduation. The six current scholarship programs, which will grow to eight in 2006, recognize a wide range of academic pursuits such as medicine and engineering, but also specifically encourage study in fields such as business, nursing, aviation, and other professions in demand in the current labor market. Scholarships are also available to support students who need additional preparation prior to beginning their post-secondary studies through the advising and career development center.

Qatari students participate in international studies

In 2005, for the first time ever, Qatar participated in two major inter­national studies. Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) seeks to measure the literacy skills of 15-year-old students in reading, mathematics, and science. Qatar is one of 57 countries participating in PISA. Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), which had more than 40 participating nations, seeks to measure reading skills at fourth grade—a critical juncture—using stories and information texts appropriate to the grade level.

Results from both the PISA and PIRLS studies will be available in 2006. Qatar has also joined the 2007 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), which is designed to help countries improve student learning in mathematics and science. TIMSS collects educational achievement data from students in the fourth and eighth grades.

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