The Assistant Undersecretary for Educational Affairs at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) Maha al-Ruwaili unveiled a project aimed at adding a pre-kindergarten (KG) level to the public kindergarten for the first time, starting from the next academic year.
In an interview with QNA, Al Ruwaili explained that the MoEHE, and after thorough studies, decided to add the pre-kindergarten level (For 3-years old children) to the public kindergartens as a pilot stage starting from the upcoming academic year in August 2023.
The ministry chose four schools to initiate the application of this project which are distributed to several areas, based on certain regulations and criteria, she said, calling on the citizens to promptly register their kids in those kindergartens that have been fully equipped to best suit the 3-years old children.
Believing in the importance of education at an early age, along with its impact on augmenting children's motivation for education, the launch of this project came, she said, adding that the project aims to open children's prospects to permanently maintain this motivation, which is the bedrock of the success of the educational process in subsequent academic levels.
Al Ruwaili underlined that early childhood is the real wealth, and the largest investment on which countries count in their renaissance and progress, pointing out that the significance of this stage primarily entails the basis to form the human character with proper upbringing, in addition to instilling values, skills, innovation and responsibility in the children's hearts to face future challenges and solve life problems.
Early education is one of the most important stages where countries are keen to set plans and strategies to develop them in a way that promotes child's character, refines his/her talents and stimulates his or her innovation, Al Ruwaili outlined, adding that children are the building blocks of the the decent community. She pointed out that interest in education in its all stages is an interest in developing human who is the real wealth of the country to chart the future through education and sophisticated training.
For this reason, the State of Qatar prioritizes this educational stage through setting the plans to achieve its vision in offering excellent educational opportunities to students at this age, Al Ruwaili noted. She indicated that the MoEHE sought to provide distinguished educational cadres for the early education based on the world-class standards, in addition to overseeing constant training and development of cadres, and affording them the essential support.
She stated that children's engagement in systematic educational programs at the early age enhances their mental, social and physical roles to create child's character and build concepts, skills and social values.
Director of the Early Education Department at MoEHE Maryam al-Buainain asserted that the MoEHE has completed all preparations to receive the first batch of students for this stage in four kindergartens as a pilot stage.
The kindergartens that have been chosen to apply the pilot project include; Al Manar Model Kindergarten for Boys in Ar-Rayyan, Abu Hanifa Kindergarten for Boys in Doha Municipality, Kindergarten Zekreet Independent Primary Girls and Al Khwarizmi Kindergarten for Girls with two classes in each one, Al Buainain said.
She underlined that the selection of these kindergartens has been made based on accurate criteria concerning population density, gender and children's percentage that ensure a successful experience and cover the real need through this pilot stage.
She pointed out that different municipalities with population density have been chosen, including qualified and equipped kindergartens that include 12 classes, indicating that three of them are out of operation, and can be utilized to absorb any increasing number, as well as achieving balance between males and females through allocating two kindergartens for males and the same number for females.
Each academic class accommodates 16 students only, with two teachers, and an assistant teacher, al-Buainain pointed out, calling on parents to promptly register their kids in those kindergartens.
The ministry studied this project with its various dimensions, and discussed its multi-faceted aspects with the professional and concerned educational experts, kindergartens' professionals and parents utilizing a wide range of global and pioneering experiences, as well as studies and researches, she said.
Al Buainain stressed on the importance of raising the parents' awareness of this educational stage that precedes kindergarten, and its role in developing the child's character, pointing out that there are ample and highly qualified Qatari educational cadres to operate in kindergartens, specially the university graduates.
The MoEHE set to hold a professional workshop for female teachers ahead of the academic year 2023-2024, and activate oversight and follow-up mechanisms to monitor the progress of the educational process in preparation for evaluating the experience, she emphasized, outlining that the ministry will expand the project to encompass different kindergartens based on success indicators.
She confirmed that education's sources have been completed for this stage in cooperation with teachers and educators operating in the field by utilizing their field expertise, as well as engaging them in preparing this project.