In the last six months of shock, adaptation and learning have been experienced globally, education has had to overhaul some of the most fundamental norms of its existence. For many reasons, education has been reliably constant but predictably slow to change.
But Qatar’s schools and universities transitioned to online learning, remote support and collaboration quicker than ever before, with teachers learning just as fast as students, said Roland Hancock, Partner at PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers), a multinational professional services network of firms headquartered in London. It has a strong presence in Qatar for more than 40 years.
“This fast-tracked teaching and learning model will have long-lasting effects on future delivery and quality. It is unlikely that current temporary practices will continue in the same way once COVID-19 is behind us. It is clear that experimentation in the classroom is not impossible, nor is it over,” he told The Peninsula.
The last six months showed that flexibility, shared practices, and new approaches like the introduction of global teaching resources supported by local tutoring are possible and can in some cases even offer better learning experiences to students. “Of course, challenges related to COVID-19 continue to arise. The region has seen some impact on demographic growth which will affect demand for places and the planned opening of Qatar’s new public and private schools, and universities will enter a competitive market,” said Hancock. “But this offers an opportunity to focus on new priorities, including enhancing the student experience, value for money and making quality of provision paramount for Doha’s parents looking for the best option for their children,” he said.
According to Hancock, Qatar’s ongoing commitment to blended learning means that adjustment to any changing circumstances will be easier to implement. Institutions will also be prioritising key support services for learners.
On top of new processes such as face mask usage, safety protocols and the limitation of extracurricular activities, schools can help by focusing on those elements of being at school that were reduced during lockdown such as social interaction and development, practical skills and problem solving, teamwork, mental wellbeing and exercise.
At higher education and vocational levels the role of the lecture has perhaps been effectively replaced, even enhanced, in certain institutions by remote options, but tutor groups, lab and technology access, social spaces, clubs and societies are not as easy to offer without interpersonal interaction.
“This re-emphasis will need a focused re-skilling of staff to support the needs of students,” said Hancock. Institutions are increasingly cautious about future funding as well as student welfare, with concerns about the financial sustainability of their operations emerging as a priority according to recent surveys conducted by PwC in the region.
Hancock said that reducing costs and improving governance around risk is increasingly important to enable Qatar’s universities to continue to thrive, as Qatar University has, becoming the first Qatari university to be ranked in the top 350 globally according to Times Higher Education rankings released recently. The education sector has been turned on its head by the difficulties of the last six months, but it has demonstrated flexibility, adaptability, resilience and courage in its response. “There is an opportunity to use this moment to make significant changes for the better to the way in which education is delivered and to be ready for whatever the future offers,” said Hancock.
