‘Teacher is at the forefront of Qatar’s National Policy’

HE the Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr Mohamed Abdul Wahed Ali al-Hammadi said that Qatar’s annual celebration of World Teachers’ Day is an appreciation of the role of teachers in accordance with the joint recommendation of International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Unesco.
In his speech at Qatar National Convention Center yesterday, HE the Minister of Education noted that Qatar’s National Vision aims to transform the country by 2030 into a developed country capable of achieving sustainable development, adding that this can only be achieved through building an educational system that meets modern international standards in which teachers play a pivotal role in preparing students for the future, and directing the human and knowledge capital of Qatar in its right paths.
HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani attended the annual celebration of World Teachers’ Day held at the Qatar National Convention Center yesterday.
HE Dr al-Hammadi added that Qatar’s national policies are centred on the advancement of human resources, and the teacher is at the forefront of this policy, and this celebration is a vivid indication of Qatar’s interest in teachers, and following the directives of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Qatar has achieved all international standards and guidelines concerning the status of teachers including their security and job satisfaction.
HE Dr al-Hammadi said that Qatar became a career attraction, and teachers working in the government sector are from 56 nationalities, and those in the private education sector are from 105 nationalities, which indicates Qatar’s openness to the world despite the unjust blockade.
He stressed that as the ministry looks forward to a more effective role for teachers in achieving Qatar National Vision 2030, the ministry has stipulated the achievement of the highest indicators of integrity and transparency in the educational system, through the implementation of criteria and selection methods according to high qualifications. This, he said, is because progress in education depends on the qualifications and experience of teachers and their human qualities.
He added that in light of the future directions, the ministry will continue to develop its educational visions to overcome all the difficulties and challenges, especially the demographic challenge, and the increase in demand for education and the opening of new schools annually, and this requires the recruitment of more teachers in light of the scarcity of qualified teachers in the region.
HE Dr al-Hammadi renewed the ministry’s commitment to support teachers and safeguard all their rights in accordance with national policies and international conventions.
HE the minister stressed the importance of the role of teachers in Qatar schools, to renew the ministry’s vision of the teaching profession, in accordance with an approach that takes into account the diversity and individual differences of children, and respect their dignity and cultural specificities, and expand their perceptions, so that they can compete with their peers at the global level.
HE the minister also called on students and all partners of the educational process to share the joy of the teachers in Qatar and express their gratitude, respect and appreciation, and give them the consideration and social status they deserve, because they are the source of inspiration and the keys to the future we want.
In his speech, HE Dr al-Hammadi expressed his sincere gratitude and appreciation to HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani for the continuous support and guidance to the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.
He also welcomed the new teachers who joined the teaching profession this year. During the celebration, HE the Minister of Education and Higher Education honoured 100 teachers, in recognition of their efforts in the field of education in Qatar. 
On behalf of the director, Unesco Regional Office in Doha, Anna Paolini, Daniello Padilla delivered the joint United Nations message to celebrate World Teachers’ Day this year, in which he emphasised that teachers are the cornerstone of future education systems.
Padilla pointed out that in the face of poor teachers’ wages, and not giving them their true value, attracting and retaining talent could be a challenge, as well as a lack of resources for children with special educational needs, persons with disabilities, refugees and young multilingual students could deprive children of the basic need of education.
Padilla stressed the urgency of taking the necessary measures in this context, and said that by reviewing the figures of the Unesco Institute for Statistics (UIS), the world today needs about 69mn new teachers to meet the 2030 education agenda. Adding that these problems were evident in rural and crisis-stricken areas in developing countries, where teachers, especially women, faced isolation and violence, and the migration of teachers to urban areas left rural schools underemployed.
On behalf of the honoured teachers, Saeed Salah al-Malki from the Sumaysima Primary School for Boys praised the Ministry of Education’s keenness to organise this celebration annually and to honour the teachers who spent years in this profession.
Qatar celebrates World Teachers’ Day annually, as approved by Unesco, on the 5th of October each year, in recognition the role of teachers as the main pillar of the educational process.