QU lays foundation stone for new training centre

 Professor al-Misnad, al-Mohannadi and Tagaki participate in the stone-laying ceremony.

Qatar University’s College of Education (CED) held a stone-laying ceremony on June 26 for its new Training Centre for Early Childhood Teachers (TCECT).

The event was held under the patronage of HE Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada, Minister of Energy and Industry.

The new $5mn building is jointly funded by QU and LNG Corporation (LNG Japan) as part of an agreement signed in May 2013 to advance training for early childhood teachers.

The TCECT project was launched in 2007 and is part of the college’s Early Childhood Centre (ECC).   It will enhance the quality of academic programmes offered by the college, develop related research, and is set to become a regional model for early childhood training. When completed, the new centre will also offer training courses and workshops as well as educational and psychological counselling to parents.

The ceremony was attended by QU president professor Sheikha Abdulla al-Misnad, LNG Japan president and CEO Yasunori Takagi, RasGas chief executive officer Hamad Rashid al-Mohannadi, CED dean Dr Hissa Sadiq, CED faculty and ECC members.

Speaking on behalf of HE al-Sada, al-Mohannadi thanked LNG Japan for its generous contribution and said education was always at the forefront of Qatar’s efforts on all levels of human and socio-economic development.  

Professor al-Misnad said:“This centre will be of immeasurable benefit, not only to young children and teachers, but also to parents, policymakers, and the wider community, and I thank the College and LNG Japan for working together to make it a reality”.  

Yasunori Takagi said, “We are honoured to be part of this milestone on early childhood education and look forward to seeing the fruits of this centre in the coming years”.