Education sector posts growth of 11.3% over 6 years

The nominaloutput of education sector’s various components has grown by an annualaverage of 11.3% over the past six years (2011-2016), the Ministry ofEconomy and Commerce (MEC) has said.This rate exceeds the nominalGDP growth rate, leading to a rise in the contribution of educationsector to GDP to 2.1% in 2016 compared to 1.8% in 2015, according to ananalytical report.In the report on the growth of educationsector, the MEC explained that 38 new schools were established between2014 and 2016. The number of persons employed in the education sectorincreased from 26,900 in 2011 to 47,000 in 2016.The reporthighlights the important role that the sector plays in the economicdevelopment process, particularly through its value added contributionto the economy and the development of a qualified labour force, which inturns bolsters the productivity of the national economy and its futuregrowth.The report also identifies promising sectors in light oflocal, regional and global considerations and determines the nature ofpolicies and procedures necessary to support these activities andenhance growth opportunities.The report highlights theremarkable growth of the Qatari economy in recent years and theaccompanying population increase which necessitates an increase in thecapacity of the education sector to meet the growing demand foreducational services. The report noted that the education sector’sresponse to these growing requirements was supported by nationalpolicies aimed at bolstering investments in this sector to improve itsoutput in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.The reportemphasised that school education, which represents a pillar of thissector, grew by 4.2% between 2014 and 2016 with the establishment of 38new schools. Kindergartens accounted for 42.6% of the total number ofschools in 2016, compared to 42% in 2014, followed by primary schools at26.7%, while preparatory and secondary schools accounted for 16% and14%, respectively. This increase in the number of schools willaccommodate an increase in the number of students from 268,000 in 2014to 289,000 in 2016 at a growth rate of 7.5%. Private school accommodated62.6% of the total number of new students at different levels ofeducation.The report also noted an increase of 88% in the number ofuniversity students across Qatar from about 15,300 in 2010 to 28,700 in2016, a rise of 2% compared to 2015. Public universities accommodatedaround 94% of new students, an increase of 3.7% compared to 2015.Thegrowing role of the education sector is also reflected in itscontribution to employment. The total number of employees in the sectorincreased from 26,900 in 2011 to 47,000 in 2016, an increase of almost75%, which is significantly higher than the growth rate of 53.9% in thetotal number of employees in Qatar.This relative high growth rateincreased the contribution of the education sector to the totalworkforce from 2.1% in 2011 to about 2.3% in 2016.In early 2017, theMinistry of Economy and Commerce, in co-operation with the Ministry ofEducation and Higher Education, has offered investment opportunities forthe development and operation of private schools in a bid to stimulatethe participation of the private sector and encourage investment in theeducation sector. A total of 11 new schools will be established witha capacity of 11,000 students (1000 students / school). Thissignificant project will have a positive impact on the education sectorby improving infrastructure and supporting the quality of training andeducation. The initiative will also lead to the development andrecruitment of a highly efficient workforce while accommodating newstudents flocking to Qatar in coming years as well as diversifying theeducation curricula through the opening of diverse and distinctiveschools.