The Social Entrepreneurship Competition for Secondary Schools, organised by the Social Development Centre, ‘Nama’, aims to foster innovation and social responsibility among students, according to an official from the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE).
“This competition stems from the ministry's belief that education is not limited to knowledge within the classroom, but extends to building a personality capable of deeper thinking, innovation, taking responsibility, and contributing to finding solutions for societal challenges,” said MoEHE’s Mohammed al-Kadi during a press conference announcing the launch of the Social Entrepreneurship Award organised by Nama.
Al-Kadi said that 2025 saw the launch of the first edition of the competition in the school category, with 31 secondary schools for boys and girls participating.
“More than 120 students benefited from the training workshops provided by the centre. Six schools qualified for the final stage—three boys' schools and three girls' schools. However, the real value of this experience was not just in the numbers, but in what we witnessed of creativity, talent, and conscious youth energy. The students moved from merely thinking about problems to understanding and analysing them, then innovating realistic, implementable solutions,” he explained.
The official pointed out that many ideas emerged from the first edition of the award, with several issues the students experienced in their schools and communities, transforming them into projects with real value and impact.
“The winning projects varied between environmental sustainability, school agriculture, health, technology, inclusive education, assistive technology, student safety, and enhancing school transport,” he noted.
Speaking about the initiative, he underlined: “Herein lies the true value of the competition: it does not merely seek a winning project, but rather a student who thinks, searches, innovates, and feels responsible toward their community.”
Al-Kadi also pointed out that MoEHE is keen to provide such opportunities to its students through cooperation with various entities and institutions in the country, by supporting programmes and initiatives that help discover talent, develop skills, and link students' learning to societal needs.
“We are confident that the new edition will open the door to more ideas and projects, giving our students a greater opportunity to work in a team spirit, discover their capabilities, and develop innovative solutions to real issues and challenges,” he added.