The Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC), the national operator for the Eco Schools Programme in Qatar, has confirmed last week that Doha College secondary school has been successfully accredited with their third green flag award.

Teachers Danielle Haddon and Brian Kerr
Teachers Danielle Haddon and Brian Kerr

Doha College, one of the oldest international schools in Qatar, was the first in the country – back in 2016 – to be awarded the green flag status by FEE – the Foundation for Environment Education – the world’s largest organisation of its kind. Since then, Doha College has had their green flag renewed in 2018 and secured one for their primary school in the same year.

4 Green Flag certificateTo hold onto the green flag this year was a particular challenge, not just because of the school closure due to COVID-19, but also because of their move to Doha College’s new campus in Al Wajba, which the assessors could not yet visit. So the fate of the green flag rested on the persuasion power of the school’s Eco Prefects, who made an exceptionally well-prepared presentation based on their work (carried out in the past and planned for the future) on waste minimisation, marine and coast, food sustainability and climate change.

In his congratulatory letter to the school, QGBC Director Meshal Al Shamari said that the school’s third Green Flag reflects their continuous commitment to teaching the next generations with sustainable habits that will make a difference and increase awareness of global issues and improve literacy on environmental education.

Doha College Principal Dr Steffen Sommer shared his delight at the good news. Having been invited to attend the evaluation of the green flag assessors, he said that he was absolutely elated to hear the very detailed and well thought out presentation made by the students, who have taken responsibility for various areas of the green flag requirements. The depth of thought, the leadership of students from across year groups that went into the work completed in the last year, in time for the application for the green flag was absolutely phenomenal.

It proved that our students are indeed high performance learners who think for themselves, make decisions and work towards a common goal, and motivate the younger students.

They also presented their findings in a cogent and precise manner. It is great to have yet another green flag, but it is even greater to be the principal of a school that has students of that calibre.

The Doha College Eco Team (photo taken  in Jan 2020, before the school closure and social distancing measures were implemented in Qatar.
The Doha College Eco Team (photo taken in January 2020, before school closure and social distancing)

Check out this LINK to find out more about the work that brought Doha College their Third Green Flag Award.