(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Qatar may allow domestic private universities to be set up if a study being presently conducted finds the idea feasible. The authorities are in favour of providing ample opportunities to people in the country for distance and online education. The idea is to make people increasingly access opportunities of higher education. This proposal is also under active study.
The overall plan is to make sure that higher education is compatible with the local job market and meets its requirements in an effective manner. This was disclosed yesterday by the Minister of Education and Higher Education H E Dr Mohamed bin Abdul Wahid Al Hammadi.
The Minister, who is ex-officio Secretary-General of the Supreme Education Council (SEC), was addressing a news conference at SEC premises ahead of reopening of schools for the new academic year (2015-16) that begins from September 6.
Talking about the tuition fees of private schools, Al Hamamdi said that a new fee evaluation system had been implemented. He, however, gave no details.
He said fresh guidelines have been made to provide licensing to private schools. Licenses have been provided to nine new private schools and kindergartens this year, out of which four schools have been allowed to have higher classes.
An important development has been that an Independent School for Secondary Education for Girls dedicated exclusively to teaching banking and finance is being started from the new school year, he said.
There will be a total of 300,000 students enrolled in various schools in the country in the new academic year, said the Minister.
The state-backed Independent Schools have 13,700 teachers of whom 1,400 are new recruits and they are all from fellow Arab countries. Umar Al Shahwani, head of joint services department at the SEC, told reporters that Ashghal had delivered 33 new school buildings for the fresh academic year.
Of these, 22 will house Independent Schools while 11 will have KG classes. The Minister said that new Independent and private schools are being opened up to keep pace with the rising population and demand for school seats.
Khalifa Al Dirham, head of Independent Schools office at the SEC, said that from the next academic year, evaluation performance of Independent schools' directors and operators will also be done.
The Minister pointed out that the scholarship scheme for overseas education for Qatari students is being reviewed with a focus on the requirements of the local job market.
Referring to the workload on teachers of Independent schools, the Minister said they wouldn't be asked to do administrative work anymore.
The Independent schools have been asked to strictly implement the student behaviour evaluation system and closely monitor the performance of the teaching and non-teaching staff.
"We have hired the best teachers for our schools (Independent schools) for the new academic year," said the Minister.
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