|
|
An agreement has been signed to start a Finnish school in Doha.
The agreement was signed on Monday by HE the Minister of Education and Higher Education and Secretary General of Supreme Education Council Dr Mohamed Abdul Wahed Ali al-Hammadi and Jan-Markus Holm, CEO of the school’s operator EduCluster Finland.
The agreement is part of an initiative that brings leading international schools to open branches in Qatar.
As per the agreement, the Finnish school will start operating from the 2014-15 academic year in the kindergarten and the first and second years of primary stage. The school will follow the Finnish curriculum. It will also teach Qatar’s history, Islamic studies and the Arabic language. The school will be open for boys and girls alike.
The agreement signing ceremony was attended by Finland’s Ambassador to Qatar Semela Alcabeca Antiro, SEC Education Institute Director Fawzia al-Khater and a group of experts and officials from Qatar and Finland.
Speaking after the event, al-Khater said bringing international schools to Qatar is an innovative initiative designed to provide diverse and high-level academic options and alternatives to Qatari families and residents alike, so that the growing demand for high-quality private education is met.
On the criteria for selection of international schools, al-Khater said the school must have an outstanding record of proven success besides having an international or national academic accreditation. The school also must teach the same curriculum and educational tools offered in the parent country.
International rankings and some studies have recognised the Finnish education system as one of the best in the world and several countries have adopted the system in their own schools.
