Qatar participated in the “Transforming Education” pre-summit in Paris

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A Qatari delegation headed by Her Excellency Ms. Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi, Minister of Education and Higher Education and the Chairman of Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture and Science participated in the “Transforming Education" preparatory summit, which was held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, during the period 28^th to 30^th of June, with the participation of  140 education ministers from around the world.

The preparatory summit aims to present countries' experiences from national consultations as well as the initial content of the Transforming Education Summit, which will be held next September in New York during the 77^th session of the UN General Assembly, with a focus on five transformation pillars: Schools, Quality Education for life, Teachers, E-Communication and Education Financing.

Her Excellency the Minister of Education and Higher Education began her speech by emphasizing the importance that Qatar places on education in its permanent constitution and in its National Vision 2030 as one of the most important pillars of social development. Her Excellency reviewed the most important outcomes of the national consultations held in Qatar on June 16^th and 17^th, based on priorities that will help in reimaging education in Qatar. These outcomes/recommendations can be formulated in five priority pillars:

First: The need for effective implementation of student-centered learning that meets each student's needs, well-being, interests, abilities, and aspirations, with full commitment to the inclusion of students with disabilities as well as those experiencing learning difficulties.

Second: Benefitting the most of technology, including utilization of Artificial Intelligence (AI technologies), which is gaining traction as digital learning rises to the top of Qatar's priorities and interests more than ever, especially in the aftermath of the Corona virus pandemic.

Third: Attracting teachers, motivating, and developing them professionally. In this regard, Her Excellency added that considering the widespread of new technologies at the national and global levels, teachers' roles will be critical to successful educational systems transformation.

Fourth: Enabling learners to contribute to their well-being and the well-being of their society,particularly in light of the state's orientation toward building a knowledge-based economy and maintaining economic and environmental sustainability, which will necessitate linking scientific research to environment, sustainability, and climate change; Stressing the importance of educational curricula and research funding in higher education institutions in reflecting these requirements and priorities.

Fifth: Financing education and the importance that the State of Qatar places on this field all over the world, as Qatar has been keen to provide quality and inclusive education for all everywhere, clarifying that it is a top priority for Qatar's policy in the development aid field within the conflict and crisis areas. Her Excellency also clarified that, over the last decade, Qatar has supported educational projects worth one billion US dollars around the world, benefiting more than seventy countries through Qatar Fund for Development.

Her Excellency concluded her speech by emphasizing that education is the roadmap to the future and that the “Transforming Education" Summit can help determine the best routes on this map, which will require a significant amount of effort, highlighting State of Qatar's full commitment to these critical tasks.

On the sidelines of the Transforming Education Pre-Summit, Her Excellency Ms. Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi, Minister of Education and Higher Education, met with a group of education officials. 

Her Excellency met with His Excellency Dr. Leonardo Garnier, the Secretary-Special General's Envoy for the Education Transformation Summit. During the meeting they discussed the summit's set objectives, the mechanism of work and follow-up after the summit in September and working mechanism in a developmental manner to contribute to education transformation.

Her Excellency also met with HE Dr. Robert Jenkins, Director of Education at UNICEF, to discuss issues of common interest and ways to support and enhance them.

 Source: Ministry of Education