SEC Annual Report 2005

“Reform’s success depends on nothing less than teachers and students transforming themselves.”

In 2005, Qataris proved many times over their willingness to consider new possibilities, to act in new ways, and to give new ideas a chance to bloom. Thanks to them, Qatar’s comprehensive education reform initiative is working and growing...reform is still young. But what I see unfolding in the classrooms of Independent Schools deserves all the support we are capable of offering. After all, our students and teachers are giving us something invaluable in return: the brightest possible future.

Excerpt of Speech of Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Missnad, Consort of His Highness the Emir & Vice Chair, Supreme Education Council.

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. Independent Schools are government-funded, they feature smaller classes, and they have the autonomy to meet Qatar’s curriculum standards through their own models of curriculum design, teaching methods, and collaboration. Operators were also recruited for 21 schools scheduled to open in 2006.

Completion and launch of curriculum standards.

2005 saw the completion and full implementation of Qatar’s new 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. While the standards were created specifically for Qatar, they are internationally benchmarked so that students in the Independent Schools have access to a world-class curriculum. Qatar is the first Arabic-speaking nation to develop educational standards for written and spoken Arabic. In addition to meeting the curriculum standards, 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 attracted over 500 educators from Independent and Ministry of Education Schools, locally based international universities and from Qatar University, as well as a number of parents. The conference 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. Dr. Hamad Al Hammami, director of the Unesco regional office, delivered the keynote address, which stressed the need for an integrated curriculum that involves teachers, students, experts, and parents. Top>>

Professional development oppor­tunities expand.

In September, the Supreme Education Council announced professional development programs for teachers in Independent Schools. Internationally renowned experts in education taught many of the programs. The Professional Development Office worked closely with teachers and students in Independent Schools to create dozens of courses and training workshops designed to enhance teachers’ knowledge, skills, and understanding. Subjects ranged from implementing curriculum standards to strategies for classroom leadership (tailored to different grade levels) to how the latest research on brain development is changing pedagogy.

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.

Launch of new teacher’s network.

Teachers are at the heart of Qatar’s education reform initiative. In its effort to improve the quality of teaching in the Independent Schools, the Education Institute will launch a bilingual (Arabic-English) online teachers’ network—a “meeting place” for all teachers to exchange views and information on education matters. The network’s motto is “Be a Teacher, Be an Inspirer,” and it will feature online interviews with leading education experts and many other sources of information that will help teachers become leaders in their classrooms. Teachers can use the network to exchange ideas on curricula, lesson plans, teaching resources, and good pedagogical practices.

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 SEC’s 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 tests were developed by well-recognized testing organizations working with a local team in an effort to help build a local assessment capacity. The announcement of the QCEA results is intended to help improve the educational experiences of learners in Independent Schools and ensure that reform remains an initiative defined by accounta­bility and transparency. 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.

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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. The SRCs are being released to the public in February–March 2006, and every parent will be sent one for their child’s school. All SRCs may be accessed through the Supreme Education Council website, and schools will also be provided with a comprehensive set of the reports.

The SRCs include information on student academic outcomes; social outcomes of schooling; student attitudes to learning; school as preparation for the future; parental involvement in schooling; pedagogical practices; teacher professional development and preparation; student and parent satisfaction with the school and its provisions; school leader­ship and management; curriculum quality; and school facilities and resources. These are all either key attributes of, influences on, or preconditions for effective schools.

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. In order to qualify for a scholarship, students must be accepted by a college or university, in Qatar or abroad, that has met HEI’s rigorous qualifying criteria. 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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