Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani attending the Education Conference 2017 and the National Scientific Research Week at Qatar National Convention Centre, yesterday.
Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani yesterday attended the opening ceremony of the Education Conference and National Scientific Research Week, organised by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, in collaboration with Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) at Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC).
The opening ceremony was also attended by a number of their Excellencies Sheikhs, ministers, guests, researchers and education experts.
The theme of this conference “Pioneering and Creativity” is not a mere slogan but it is reality we are experiencing here in Qatar said H E Dr Mohammed Abdul Wahed Al Hammadi , Minister of Education and Higher Education, in his opening speech. He added: “our wise leadership has realised the vital role of education in nation building as key tool for building the knowledge society which is key hub of Qatar National vision 2030.
In Qatar we have adopted the highest global standards and latest technology in implementing our educational projects, researches, curriculum, evaluation and training programmes the minister stressed, adding education system that develop talents, discover innovative and creativity of students.
The conference is opportunity to exchange experiences and discuss specialised researches to improve quality of education he emphasised.
Keynote speaker at the opening session was Dr Katherine Merseth, Senior Lecturer at Harvard University, who highlighted key educational issues raising questions related to the concepts of innovations, academic achievement and class room where the success takes place. Students, teachers and curriculum content form the triangle of classroom the whole educational process needs the right leadership, she added. Children are a minority in the population of the world but they represent our future by 100%, she concluded.
The opening session also witnessed a speech by Hamad Al Ibrahim, deputy chairman of the research and Development sector in Qatar Foundation. Al Ibrahim pointed out that sesearch and development sector in QF works to achieve aims of Qatar national strategy and during the past years, the sector has managed to lay the foundation for research that meets our national aspirations.
He added: "We are going to keep focusing on research projects to enhance the economic and social development in particular the promising areas of technology and business."
After the opening speeches, a short film entitled “Pioneering and Creativity” highlighted some of the educational achievements in Qatar, and announced the discovery of five 'Qatari' planets which will be disclosed in May, and the work for discovering the six ones are going on.
The education system gives priority to quality of education and the ministry seeks to disseminate the culture of research and innovation in the Qatari society and to develop students' scientific and creative thinking skills said Fawzia Abdulaziz Al Khater as assistant undersecretary for educational affairs of the Ministry. The contents of the 9th exhibition reflects the efforts carried in our schools by teachers and students and cooperation to solve problems and analysis issues Al Khater added.
At the sidelines of the conference, Minister Al Hammadi launched the Education Application which provide with package of key service to schools and teachers.
The minister praised the efforts carried out to make this application useable and its role in improving the educational services.
The Director of Information Technology Department at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. Mohammed Molfi Al Hajr, said the “education” application will shift all services provided by the ministry into E-Services but this be in two phases. The first stage which has been launched today by HE the Minister includes services for teachers and parents to make necessary follow up to their children, Al Hajri outlined. In addition to this the application includes services for students and other general services such as information about universities, private and government schools in Qatar; besides the ministry’s news, events and activities.
The second phase of the project will be launched in the coming academic year 2017/18 and will cover all services of the ministry including transfer of students from school to another.
