Teachers from secondary schools attending a workshop organised by Qatar Genome Programme.
Doha: In a recently held series of workshops titled, “Precision Medicine and Genomics”, biology teachers in secondary schools learnt about precision medicine, and ways to engage school students in the field of precision medicine and genomics.
The workshop was held in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and the Qatar Genome Programme (QGP), a member of Qatar Foundation, with an aim to increase the ministry’s teachers’ knowledge of sciences related to precision medicine given that Qatar is one of the world’s leading countries in this field.
The workshops presented the latest developments in genomics sciences and their currently available applications to allow teachers to share this knowledge with their students in addition to the biology curriculum which introduces students to modern scientific concepts and developments, including genomics.
The Ministry of Education and Higher Education in the State of Qatar has given special attention to genomics — the concept of the human genome has been included in the biology curriculum at secondary level, and some concepts of genomics have also been introduced in the primary and preparatory stages. The curriculum also includes a description of the most important techniques used in genetic engineering and genomics sciences.
By introducing students to genomics sciences and encouraging them to pursue the field of medicine, medical genetic counselling, and genetic engineering, The Ministry of Education and Higher Education in the State of Qatar aims to supply the Qatari labour market with qualified competencies and expertise.
Dr. Said Ismail, the Director of the Qatar Genome Programme, said: “The advancement of precision medicine requires various disciplines, and I am confident that the next generation is keen on engaging in the latest sciences that qualify it to be at the forefront of scientific progress. The teachers are of the most important influencers on the thoughts of their students, and the Ministry’s teachers are highly professional and aware of modern and advanced trends in this regard.”
From the participants side, Muhammad Rashid from Al Jamiliya Joint School for Boys, said: “It was a very interesting workshop; it reinforced the concepts of genetics known to teachers. And we were impressed by the efforts made in Qatar to draw out the genomic map of country with the aim of providing personalised healthcare for each patient.”
Another participating teacher, Asmaa Sami from Al-Resala Secondary School for Girls, mentioned some of the gains of attending the workshop. She said: “We hope that a series of educational tours will be organized for secondary school students to further raise the level of awareness about the vital role of genomics and precision medicine.”
Dima Darwish, Head of Scientific Education at QGP said, “Genomics has become the talk of the hour, and in recent years, the contribution made by Qatar has been significant and distinguished. Various research projects are taking place, we are publishing in high impact journals, and implementing on the bedside is underway.
“We need the next generation to understand the importance of precision medicine and to work in the field in Qatar and the region. To that end, they will benefit from the guidance and encouragement of their teachers and contribute to improving healthcare in the region.
In this first round, secondary school teachers from 50 schools in Qatar participated in the genomics and precision medicine workshops, and preparations are under way for the second round of workshops for middle school teachers.
