The Ministry of Education and Higher Education aims to implement accredited technical programmes in Qatar’s specialised public schools.

The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) recently signed a partnership agreement with Australia’s Chisholm Institute on cross-border education aiming to implement accredited technical programmes in Qatar’s specialised public schools.

According to Assistant Undersecretary for Educational Affairs Fawzia Abdulaziz Al Khater, technical education has become an essential component of the public education system in Qatar, and one of the foundations on which comprehensive development plans can be based to build an advanced and productive Qatari society capable of achieving the national priorities of education and training included in Qatar National Vision 2030.

‘In view of the technical education’s contribution to refining skills and meeting the needs of the labour market in an ever-changing world, and in light of the rapid growth of Qatar’s economy and the industrial sector, work has been done on the horizontal expansion of technical education in the country. There are currently two technical schools within the public education schools in the State of Qatar, one each for boys and girls,’ said Al Khater.

‘This type of school seeks to achieve the vision of MoEHE that technical education be a profession-oriented education according to new educational paths that serve the knowledge economy,’ she added.

Al Khater explained that the agreement with Chisholm Institute aims to implement specialised technical programmes that adopt the requirements of the Australian Technical And Further Education (TAFE) programme in Qatari technical schools, noting that the programme provides a comprehensive and balanced evaluation system that allows students to study programmes covering knowledge, science and technical skills within a flexible methodological structure that suits their capabilities. 

According to Al Khater, through this partnership the MoEHE aims to keep pace with the development in this field at a global level to provide a specialised cadre for the economic mobility needed for the country. The agreement focuses on practical training for students. 

The training will take place in workshops that simulate work systems in different industries, using machines, systems and training equipment similar to what is currently used in work environments in the country. 

Chisholm Institute will provide schools with technical study materials, including relevant training packages, Training and Assessment Strategy (TAS) documents, teacher guides, student guides, unit plans and assessment tools required to enable schools to deliver technical courses to students.

Recently, MoEHE opened the first Qatar Technical School for Girls in September 2020 for the academic year 2020-21, marking a pioneering addition to the technical and vocational education system in the country, with the aim to enhance the role of Qatari women in the development process, provide training and qualification for Qatari women technical cadres, in addition to increasing the rate of Qatarisation for women’s technical jobs in all sectors.

STEM schools in Qatar

There are a number of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) schools in Qatar. MOEHE allows students who meet admission criteria to register in vocational schools. The first STEM school to open in Qatar was the Qatar Science & Technical Secondary School for Boys (QSTSSB), a public school for vocational training and education that aims to equip students with various technical skills preparing them to work in various fields such as general mechanics, welding, Information Technology (IT), electricity, electronics, instrumentation technology, and industrial operations, as well as working as Lab Technicians and in the field of safety and security. The school admits Qatari students, children of Qatari mothers, children of GCC Residents, and children born in Qatar. qstssboys.qa

In 2018, Qatar Foundation (QF) launched Qatar Academy for Science and Technology (QAST),
under the umbrella of its Pre-University Education (PUE). It is Qatar’s only STEM school offering both a US Diploma through Advanced Placement Courses and UK A Level certification. Starting from Grade 8, the programme offers three course curriculums in Engineering, Computer Science, and Biomedical Sciences. Admission is open to both Qatari and non-Qatari boys and girls. qast.qa

STEM and higher education

Students who attend STEM schools in Qatar have various higher education and career prospects in the country. STEM students may choose to continue their higher education by attending Qatar University or Texas A&M University in Qatar.

Qatar University has several STEM programmes including the Future Scientists Academy – STEM, which is an educational orientation that prepares school students to engage in careers related to STEM. It also contributes to empowering students’ skills in survey, logical thinking, problem solving, and 21st century skills through scientific activities and integrated applications to ultimately prepare learners to succeed in their university life and their career prospects. qu.edu.qa/education/centers/nced/programs/stem

Since 2008, Texas A&M University in Qatar has been running several STEM outreach programmes and activities with more than 20,000 students from grades 9 to 12. stem.qa


Author:  Ola Diab

This feature is from Marhaba’s WINTER 2021/22 Issue – M82.

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