Doha: Assistant Undersecretary for Educational Affairs at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education Maha Zayed Al Qaqaa Al Ruwaili affirmed that the Ministry is leading a comprehensive development trajectory aimed at enhancing the quality of education, improving the efficiency of educational practices, and building a more inclusive, innovative, and future-responsive educational system.
According to Qatar News Agency, Al Ruwaili stated that with the start of the new academic year, these efforts are rooted in a vision centered on placing students at the heart of the educational process, empowering national cadres, utilizing technology, and building effective partnerships. These initiatives reflect Qatar National Vision 2030 and the country's goal of establishing a world-class education system.
Al Ruwaili noted significant improvements in academic achievement, with the year 2026 witnessing increases in students' overall academic achievement rates, ranging from 80% to 96% depending on the subject. Additionally, more government schools surpassed 70% performance levels across all subjects. Efforts to promote inclusive education included projects supporting non-Arabic-speaking students at the primary stage in 12 schools, benefiting 476 students.
The Ministry also focused on teacher development, delivering 412 professional development sessions and 112 lesson observation sessions in the academic year 2025/2026. This approach aims to tailor training needs through a comprehensive database rather than offering uniform training for all staff.
In early education, Qatar expanded opportunities by offering enrollment in government kindergartens for children from the age of 3, introducing 'Kindergarten 1' in 12 government schools, and opening three new nurseries during the 2025/2026 academic year. The School Readiness Scale was emphasized to assess children's readiness for school.
The Ministry's digital transformation efforts include benefiting over 129,000 students, 15,000 teachers, and 92,000 parents through official educational platforms. Initiatives included launching 110 digital innovation clubs and implementing cybersecurity programs across 140 schools. A digital citizenship classroom pilot project was launched in 10 primary schools, and eight new e-learning policies were adopted.
For special education, services were expanded to cover 81 government schools and 18 schools in outlying areas. Plans were announced to integrate students from the Audio Education Complex into government schools, starting with fifth and sixth graders during the 2026/2027 academic year.
New specialized schools were opened, including Al-Hidaya Special Needs School for Boys and Al-Jiwan Kindergarten for Early Intervention, in partnership with Hamad Medical Corporation. The Ministry plans to establish a unified services center combining three ministries to streamline support services.
The national curriculum framework was developed to integrate financial literacy, genomics, and STEM programs. Reading initiatives, such as the Reading Olympics and the Mobile Library project, benefited 25,549 students and aimed to enhance reading skills, promote self-directed learning, and reinforce national identity.
Al Ruwaili highlighted the success of the 17th National Scientific Research and Innovation Exhibition, with 2,383 students participating and international achievements at the International Science and Engineering Fair and the International Invention, Innovation and Technology Exhibition.
In academic guidance, the first Annual University Fair attracted 3,000 students, increasing the proportion of students enrolled in the scientific track to 57.41% in Grade 11 during the 2025/2026 academic year. The percentage of Qataris recruited into the teaching profession rose to 67%, with scholarship sponsorship provided to 2,100 students.
Foreign language teaching was expanded to include French, German, and Japanese, with language, cultural, and scientific camps organized in various countries. A milestone in technical education was achieved with the opening of the Qatar Technical Secondary School for Girls, and two new STEM schools are planned for the 2026/2027 academic year.
The Ministry issued circulars to ease the burden on families by regulating expenditure on school activities and prohibiting financial obligations or in-kind requests as a condition for participation in events.
In conclusion, Al Ruwaili emphasized that educational development is a continuous process based on long-term planning and evidence-based management, equipping generations with the knowledge and skills necessary for global competition and national development.