Back to School messages welcoming students back to the classrom displayed on different Qatar landmarks yesterday.
Doha, Qatar: Around 350,000 students will return to their schools and other higher education institutes for the new academic year 2023-24.
The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) has made all necessary preparations for safe return of students to their classes.
The General Directorate of Traffic in coordination with the authorities concerned will deploy patrolling to ensure traffic flow on roads especially those leading to schools.
Around 550 government and private schools and 34 higher education institutes are operating in Qatar. Minister of Education and Higher Education H E Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi said the new academic year 2023-2024 would witness improvement in school supervision and support policies and mechanisms.
Speaking at a recent event, the Minister said that this improvement will empower more school leaders in decision-making processes to transform schools into beacons of knowledge and an attractive environment for students and teachers.
Assistant Undersecretary for Educational Affairs at MoEHE Maha Zayed Al Qaqaa Al Ruwaili welcomed the students on the occasion of the new academic year.
“I call students to enjoy their educational journey and to seize every opportunity to learn and fulfil their dreams. We are here to provide you full support,” said Al Ruwaili in a video message.
She asked school leaders to direct and inspire teachers and students utilising their competent teams in fulfilling the goals of quality education.
Assistant Undersecretary for Joint Service at MoEHE Mohamad Ali Karib said that the Ministry made necessary preparations by hiring competent teachers and other staff for the new academic year.
He said that all schools and facilities have been readied in a way to welcome students safely. “You are the future of Qatar. Get ready for the new academic year. All the best,” said Karib.
Director of the Public Relations and Communication Department at MoEHE Maryam Abdullah Al Muhannadi said that all school buildings have been maintained and assured they are ready to receive students.
“The Ministry is keen to fill academic and administrative vacancies before the start of the academic year,” said Al Muhannadi.
Assistant Undersecretary for Private Education Affairs Omar Abdulaziz Al Namaa said: "All private educational facilities have completed their preparations so that the new academic year will be a year crowned with success for all our students."
The Ministry has completed its preparations for the start of the new academic year, as textbooks have been printed for distribution to students on the first day of study.
Work has been done during the summer vacation period for schools to maintain the 279 school buildings and kindergartens and to ensure the readiness of school furniture and the availability of school buses.
Coordination has been made with the Traffic Department at the Ministry of Interior to secure and safe students in the vicinity of schools and kindergartens, in addition to ensuring the provision of healthy food for our students in Schools, where 16 qualified food companies have been accredited to supply food to school canteens in all government schools under the approved health and food requirements.
The number of students in government schools increased from 96,000 to 132,000 students in the last years. The private schools also witnessed huge growth with the number of students going up from 129,000 to 209,000 during the period.
Schools operating in Qatar also witnessed a remarkable growth. The number of government schools increased from 178 in 2012-13 to 209 in 2022-23 academic year. The number of private schools in Qatar jumped from 182 to 334 in ten years.
As many as 34 higher institutions operate in Qatar offering over 400 academic programmes.
The number of students in higher institutions reached 40,572 in the academic year 2022-23, recording a 13 percent increase, compared to the previous academic year.
The Ministry of Education and Higher Education is running Back-to-School campaign under the slogan “My School is My Second Home.” It will continue until August 29. The campaign aims to prepare children for the new school year to be a successful academic year for all our students. It targets all students of public and private schools. The campaign includes programs supervised by the Public Relations and Communication Department.
The campaign also includes various recreational activities purposeful educational games, in addition to the presence of a volunteer trainer in the field of sports and physical activity.
In this regard, the Ministry has urged parents to prepare their children to adhere to the policy of attendance, absence, and attendance at school from the first day to prepare students for a high-quality educational atmosphere that is in line with the study plans designed to ensure that all students acquire the knowledge and skills contribute to their achievement of success and the achievements they aspire to.
The State of Qatar has developed ambitious plans and strategies in this field and has achieved essential achievements. During the new academic year, the Ministry seeks to continue performing the State of Qatar Vision 2030 goals, of which education and human development are the most prominent pillars.
