Qatar has been prioritising investment in the education sector as part of the human development pillar of the Qatar National Vision 2030. The country has built an education system that produces tomorrow’s leaders in innovation, business and industries, and a workforce equipped with the skills required to succeed in today’s world.
The state has been spending a large chunk of its revenue on people’s welfare including health and education sectors. Budgetary allocation for these two sectors makes up 20 percent of Qatar’s QR200.9bn 2024 budget. Around 550 government and private schools and 34 higher education institutes are operating in Qatar.
Every year, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education also awards hundreds of scholarships to Qatari students to pursue studies at universities in Qatar and abroad. The scholarship programme has been expanded this year to 1500 scholarship. As many as 1,000 high school graduates will be awarded scholarships to study for a degree in Qatar, while another 500 scholarships will be provided for study at foreign universities.
The scholarships now cover eight academic track: Science, engineering and technology; health care and medical sciences; teaching and educational sciences; graduate studies; social sciences and humanities; creative economy; vocational; and sports. The ministry has selected some of the best global universities under the scholarship programme. Focus has been on qualifying Qatari cadres to meet the needs of skilled human resources in Qatar’s government and the private sector. The Education Ministry of and Higher Education has collaborated with the Ministry of Labour and the Civil Service and Government Development Bureau to chart out the scholarship programme, keeping pace with the changing requirements of the job market.
The Ministry of Education has also launched initiatives to attract more qualified people to the teaching profession and has partnered with Qatar University for a teachers’ training programme ‘Tomouh’. This programme awards scholarships to high school students obtaining 70 percent marks in final school year. “Tomouh” programme has succeeded in attracting competent Qatari teachers to fill positions in government schools.
The programme recently received academic accreditation from the International Foundation for the Accreditation of Teacher Programmes. It allows students to obtain a bachelor’s degree in the specialisations of the College of Education at Qatar University, and students receive financial benefits during their study. The programme is part of the state’s efforts to invest in human resources and build national capabilities, which contributes to achieving Qatar National Vision 2030.
