Qatar University has inaugurated its new Early Childhood Center (ECC) building with a modern and innovative design that enables providing advanced services in the fields of research, education and training. The construction of the ECC building was sponsored by LNG Japan and facilitated by Qatargas and the Japanese embassy in Qatar.
The state-of-the-art building spreads across 30,494sqm that holds seven well-equipped class rooms for 140 children. In addition, the building houses a library, an indoor game court, a gym, a multi-purpose room, an outdoor playground and a nurse room. The ECC building also has a dedicated space for research and teaching purposes such as training halls equipped with the latest technologies and research offices.
During the opening speech, Dr Hassan bin Rashid al-Derham, president of QU, said the ECC is aligned with the vision to promote quality educational programmes for early childhood learning and be a leader in the development of best practices, research and delivery of educational services.”
“As part of QU’s mission to support scientific research, the ECC provides many research services to collect data that serve the field of early childhood learning. “The ECC is also committed to offer bespoke training and professional development for teachers, families and professionals in this field,” he added. Japanese ambassador Seiichi Otsuka pointed out that in Japan, there are still not so many kindergartens and pre-schools with abundant staff and facilities like the ECC.
“I would like to seize this opportunity to emphasise the necessity for promoting bilateral co-operation in the education field, as both countries are expected to conclude a Memorandum of Understanding with regard to dispatching Japanese teachers to Qatari schools,” he added. LNG Japan chairman Norikazu Onishi stated that his organisation is interested in continuing its Corporate Social Responsibility activities in the field of education along with Qatar University, Qatargas and the embassy of Japan.
In his speech, QU College of Education dean Dr Ahmed al-Emadi, hoped the ECC will be a new start to elevate the educational services offered to the future generations of Qatar. ECC director Dr Fatima al-Maadadi, commented: “The Center seeks to be a pioneering model for a learning environment that serves students of the Primary Education programme at QU in their occasional field visits during their years of study. The Center provides best practices that bridge the relationship between theory and practice.”
The ECC aims to be a leading model for quality early childhood education programmes in the region through the provision of leadership in professional practice, research and service delivery.