Director of the Early Education Department and National Leader of the Sunrise Programme Dhabiya Al Khulaifi
Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Education and Higher Education, represented by its Early Education Department, held an orientation meeting yesterday for the KG1 level, designed for three-year-old children, with broad participation from academics, kindergarten staff and parents.
Held at the ministry’s headquarters, the meeting highlighted the importance of early education in a child’s educational journey and stressed the need to strengthen partnership between kindergartens and families.
The event brought together representatives from 10 kindergartens, including principals, vice principals, teachers from kindergarten and English departments, as well as teaching assistants.
It also welcomed the third cohort of the project, comprising 10 additional kindergartens, bringing the total number of kindergartens offering KG1 to 22.
Addressing the gathering, Director of the Early Education Department and National Leader of the Sunrise Programme Dhabiya Al Khulaifi said the ministry gives the early education stage the highest priority, recognising its role as the foundation for shaping children’s personalities, developing their skills and nurturing their abilities.
“Early education is not merely an educational stage; it is a genuine investment in the future of the nation, where values are formed, minds are opened and skills develop that will remain with children throughout their lives,” she said.
Al Khulaifi also highlighted the important role of teachers, describing them as the driving force of the educational process and role models and motivators for children. She called on teachers to provide learning experiences that encourage creativity and innovation while taking into account individual differences among children.
Addressing parents, she stressed that their partnership with kindergartens is essential to the success of the educational journey. Daily support and follow-up at home reinforce the learning provided at kindergarten and help ensure that families and educational institutions work together.
She noted that parental care at home represents a natural extension of the educational care provided by kindergartens and forms a foundation for the child’s future development.
The meeting also included presentations on the roles and responsibilities of academic and administrative staff, learning resources, assessment tools, activity guidelines, and training and professional development plans.
The Early Education Department announced an intensive one-week training programme for teachers from August 30 to September 3, 2026. Training workshops and development programmes will resume from September 10 until November 1, 2026, with sessions scheduled every Thursday.
As a result, children at the kindergartens included in the third expansion phase will not attend classes during the specified training periods.
The meeting was attended by a number of ministry officials, kindergarten principals and teachers, Early Education Department supervisors and parents, reflecting the ministry’s emphasis on collaboration among educators and families in supporting children during the early years of learning.
