Minister heads Qatar delegation at Alecso conference in Tunisia

The Qatari delegation participating in the 26th cycle of the General Conference of The Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation (Alecso) held in Tunisia on Saturday was headed by HE the Minister of Education and Higher Education Buthaina bint Ali al-Jabr al-Nuaimi.

The delegation included Saad bin Nasser al-Hamidi, Qatar's ambassador to Tunisia and representative to Alecso; Ali Abdul Razzaq al-Maarafi, acting secretary-general of Qatar National Committee for Education, Culture and Science; Dr Nasser Ahmed al-Emadi, assistant vice president of academic affairs in Qatar University; and Maryam Yassin al-Hammadi, director of the Department of Culture and Arts at the Ministry of Culture, in addition to a number of ministry's officials.The conference brings together several ministers of education and culture, general secretaries of national committees for education, culture, and science, as well as experts and specialists. The conference focused on a number of important topics related to the challenges facing educational systems in the Arab world, particularly after recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the acceleration of modern technology adoption to overcome learning difficulties in emergencies and crises.HE Buthaina al-Nuaimi delivered a speech at the opening session addressing one of the important topics on the conference agenda, which is the "Arab Plan for Education in Emergencies and Crises", where most national educational institutions and international organisations, working in the educational field, are concerned with in the past two years. She also addressed the challenges confronting all aspects of life because of the Covid-19 pandemic, with focus on its negative impact on education, including school closures and depriving millions of children from education, particularly in remote and poor areas lacking modern technology or Internet access, which has contributed in reducing educational opportunities for children and increasing the number of relegated people globally.HE the Minister highlighted her hope for the success of Alecso's 'Education in Emergencies' initiative, which aims to assist Arab countries in mobilising resources and implementing creative solutions tailored to their specific circumstances, as well as providing universal distant education, promoting a curriculum based on innovative technology, achieving equitable solutions that provide education for everyone, assisting students in returning to school, fostering co-operation and alliance amongst Arab countries, and exchanging expertise and experiences.During the speech, HE Buthaina al-Nuaimi also praised the efforts and achievements made by Alecso since its establishment, in enhancing the capabilities of the Arab citizens in the fields of education, culture, science and communication, as well as building bridges of communication between Arab culture and the cultures of many countries of the world, through its programmes and projects in its fields of work, and its active co-operation with relevant international, Arab, and regional organisations.