Preparations for new school year complete

All students, parents, educators, and partners in education are eagerly looking forward to the start of the 2024-2025 academic year on Sunday, September 1, 2024. With confidence and optimism, they anticipate a year filled with goodness and blessings, continuing the tradition of dedication, academic achievement, and excellence established in previous years.

The past academic years have provided a stimulating environment that empowered students to achieve higher academic degrees, culminating in prestigious outcomes. These outcomes have equipped students to either compete in the labour market or gain admission to top universities both locally and internationally.

As the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) finalises preparations for the new academic year, the administrative and teaching staff have proactively undertaken essential tasks, including welcoming students, distributing timetables, books, stationery, and class lists, as well as implementing school policies and regulations from the very first day. The staff's unwavering commitment to enhancing students' academic performance aligns with the ministry's strategic goals.

Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Director of the Department of Schools and Student Affairs of the MoEHE, Mariam Al Nisf al-Buainain, confirmed that the ministry is fully prepared to welcome students back as the new academic year begins next Sunday. She emphasised the ministry's steadfast commitment to providing a high-quality educational environment by advancing key educational components such as teaching staff, infrastructure, and educational resources, in coordination with relevant bodies to ensure all preparations are completed.

Al-Buainain noted that over 131,000 students will attend classes in 215 schools and 64 public kindergartens, including 70 integration schools and 7 Al-Hidaya Special Needs Schools.

Additionally, she highlighted that the educational system includes private schools that offer technical and professional skills, contributing to Qatar's development by nurturing highly skilled students.

She also mentioned that student registration for public schools and kindergartens has resumed via the 'Maarif' Portal on the MoEHE website, urging parents to utilise this online service for registering their children and completing the necessary forms.

MoEHE is deeply committed to improving the quality of life for students, launching numerous projects aimed at enhancing their cultural and social skills to equip them with 21st-century competencies. Al-Buainain affirmed that these well-developed skills will help students succeed both academically and in their future careers, as the ministry strives to build strong partnerships with parents to create a supportive and cooperative educational environment.

The preparations for the new academic year include a wide range of initiatives and educational curricula, in line with the third National Development Strategy 2024-2030. These updates are part of the ministry's ongoing efforts to balance academic achievement with the personal and psycho-social development of students.

The curriculum updates span all academic levels, from kindergarten to secondary school, with a focus on 21st-century skills such as digital literacy, emotional intelligence, and critical thinking, alongside academic skills that enhance students' capabilities for real-life application. Additionally, the updates aim to align with global best practices in education and promote students' physical and psychological well-being.

The curriculum changes include adjustments such as dedicating free reading time for kindergarten students at an early age and increasing the duration of sports activities. In elementary schools, there will be an emphasis on enhancing students' linguistic and technical abilities, while preparatory schools will focus on improving reading and writing skills in Arabic and introducing subjects tailored to students' interests.

In the preparatory stage, Wednesday's school hours will be extended to match the rest of the week, with classes continuing until 1.30pm, except on Thursday, which will end at 12.40pm. This adjustment allows for additional time to develop students' skills and foster creativity, in line with Qatar's aspirations to enhance and improve its educational system.

In the secondary stage, the school day will be extended until 1.30pm throughout the week to further develop students' academic and practical skills, preparing them for professional success and higher education.

The ministry is currently organising the Back-to-School campaign in collaboration with Mowasalat (Karwa) and Msheireb Properties. This campaign aims to emphasise the importance of mental and emotional readiness for school and motivate students to attend regularly and enthusiastically from the first day. The campaign will feature a variety of scientific, educational, and interactive activities, along with awareness workshops and purposeful sports events.

The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) has completed all necessary arrangements for the 2024-2025 academic year. These preparations encompass a wide range of aspects, including optimizing the school environment, ensuring adequate school capacity, managing transportation and maintenance, securing tenders for canteen catering services, and establishing follow-up plans for safety procedures in emergency situations.

In addition, the ministry has addressed staffing needs by appointing numerous teachers based on rigorous standards, considering both academic qualifications and practical experience. This includes graduates from the "Tamooh" programme, implemented in collaboration with Qatar University’s College of Education.

Several new specialised schools are set to open, and a series of workshops, introductory sessions, awareness programmes, and educational meetings will be conducted throughout the year.
The MoEHE has also expanded educational opportunities for Qatari students who have excelled in high school and other targeted groups under the government scholarship plan for the academic year 2024-2025. This plan includes three primary programmes: the Amiri Scholarship Programme, the Internal Scholarship, and the External Scholarship, all designed to meet the needs of students across various academic levels and enhance their opportunities in diverse specialisations within Qatar and abroad.

Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Higher Education Affairs, Dr. Hareb Mohammed al- Jabri, announced that the new government scholarship plan for the 2024-2025 academic year would offer 1,500 scholarships, a significant increase from the 700 offered in the previous year. This expansion is driven by an increase in educational tracks from three to eight, aimed at fulfilling the needs of the Qatari labour market.

Preparations for the new academic year have been carried out in close cooperation between the MoEHE and the Ministry of Interior to ensure student safety, security, and smooth traffic flow. These efforts also extend to libraries, which have been stocked with various types of stationery, bags, and school supplies.