The National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA), in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE), has announced the implementation of the Educational Cybersecurity Curricula in 170 private schools during the first phase, followed by 100 other private schools during the next phase.
In the first phase, launched in January 2024, the project targeted 80 government schools and targeted 70 private schools. The Educational Cybersecurity Curricula is now in place in around 150 public and private schools in Qatar. The project will complement the Educational Cybersecurity Curricula and also provide specialised training content for teachers and parents/guardians.
According to Assistant Undersecretary for Private Education Affairs at MoEHE Omar Abdulaziz Al Naema clarified that the Educational Cybersecurity Curricula is an important step aimed at enhancing students’ awareness of cybersecurity concepts and digital safety. It also plays a direct role in enhancing the overall educational content by introducing a new focus on digital literacy.
Al Naema added that the implementation of the Educational Cybersecurity Curricula in private schools is a step towards further expansion of the application of the curricula at a state level.
The implementation of the Educational Cybersecurity Curricula is based on NCSA’s and Qatar’s keenness to build a digitally secure and technologically empowered local community, in light of the successive and rapid technological developments, and the entry of technology into various aspects of life. The technological security risks facing individuals in general, especially children and adolescents, are increasing. Therefore, based on the general objectives of the NCSA, the curricula is addressing these challenges within the framework of the school environment, with curriculas for children and adolescents that enhance awareness of digital safety, and the concepts and foundations of cyber security.
The Educational Cybersecurity Curricula aims to build a new generation capable of dealing with the digital world safely, and educate children and adolescents about cybersecurity and digital safety.
What is cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity is a discipline that covers how to defend devices and services from electronic attacks by nefarious actors such as hackers, spammers, and cybercriminals. Cybersecurity has been used as a catch-all term to describe the process of protection against every form of cybercrime, from identity theft to international digital weapons.
Most of today’s professionals focus more on determining the best way to defend all assets, from computers and smartphones to networks and databases, from attacks.
In today’s digital world, one cannot ignore cybersecurity. One single security breach can lead to exposing the personal information of millions of people. These breaches have a strong financial impact on companies and also the loss of the trust of customers. Hence, cybersecurity is very essential to protect businesses and individuals from spammers and cybercriminals.
According to Cybercrime Magazine, cybercrime will cost the world USD10.5 tn annually by 2025. Furthermore, global cybercrime costs are predicted to rise by almost 15% yearly over the next four years.
Educational Cybersecurity Curricula
It is the first project of its kind in the region, a project that aims to raise digital awareness among all age groups, starting from the first grade of elementary school to the 12th grade of high school, as well as university students, parallel education, literacy programmes, and the educational staff and parents. It also provides permanent interactive awareness content that can be accessed through the learning management system.
The Educational Cybersecurity Curricula aims to achieve a number of objectives, the most important of which is educating society in general, children and adolescents in particular about the concept of digital citizenship, which entails the responsible, moral, and safe use of information and communication technology by individuals as part of the local community and the global community. In addition to educating society about the risks of the internet, it provides training on the basics of protecting personal data and maintaining the safety of electronic devices, and equipping the young generation with the ability to efficiently and safely deal with technological tools.
Director of the National Cyber Excellence Department at the National Cyber Security Agency, Dalal Al Aqeedi, said, ‘The agency aims, as part of its overall strategy, to enhance cybersecurity indicators, digital safety, and digital literacy for various segments of the society, with students at the forefront.’
Digital literacy for students will be a fundamental pillar in preparing the community as a whole. She stressed that the Educational Cybersecurity Curricula is fully consistent with the preventive cybersecurity strategy adopted by the NCSA for enhancing digital security indicators in the State of Qatar.
Site visits at schools have been conducted as part of the Cyber Echo project, which aims to further enhance digital literacy for students at different educational levels.
Teachers Guide
The Teachers Guide is a set of steps, tips, and instructions that the teacher is given to understand the strategy’s nature and the role it plays in the success of its implementation, as well as how to get the best performance and results from their students.
The guide provides teachers with strategies as well as cognitive and educational information, making it an essential source for specialised and educational knowledge and data. With the intention of assisting teachers with the planning and execution of lessons in a distinctive and efficient manner, the Teachers Guide places the student at the centre of the learning process.
This guide aims to assist teachers in honing students’ skills in accordance with what the educational system expects, which is for students to search for knowledge and then organise and use it effectively. Additionally, the goal of the guide is to provide ongoing knowledge, and a variety of scenarios are used to practice problem-solving skills in an organised and complex manner. Additionally, it encourages the student to apply his/her critical and creative thinking skills to everything he/she encounters and communicate well with others, evaluate himself/herself, and hold the teacher in high regard.
Students with disabilities
In order to ensure the promotion of the concepts of digital citizenship and the consolidation of cybersecurity, cybersecurity educational curricula are directed to all groups and segments of society without exception. They also aim to raise a comprehensive level of awareness within the local community.
Content has been allocated for students with disabilities, proportionate to their cognitive abilities, to qualify and enable them to safely use the internet and modern electronic devices, taking into account their various special needs. This is similar to the content that is intended for students of various age groups.
The platform is being authorised for digital access in compliance with international standards to enable students with disabilities to independently access information.
For more information on the Educational Cybersecurity Curricula, visit awareness.ncsa.gov.qa
Author: Ola Diab
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