Eleven Qatari public and private schools have been awarded the “Showcase Schools” status for the academic year 2021 – 2022, according to the classification of Microsoft Corporation, after participating in the program offered by the company. These schools represent the new and returning cohort of Microsoft Showcase Schools in Qatar.
The scheme aims to raise the efficiency of the educational system and enhance students’ standard through an array of cutting-edge modern learning strategies that push forward digital transformation, development momentum and cultivate creativity and innovation, keeping abreast of the 21st century skills.
The Microsoft Showcase Schools is a yearly certification world-standard project that selects schools that best implement specific criteria in incorporating technology in education.
The Microsoft Showcase Schools for the year 2021 – 2022 are: Al Maha Academy for Boys, Alkhour Preparatory School, Hind bint Abi Sufyan Secondary School for Girls, Qatar Primary School for Girls, Ashiffa Bint Abdulrahman Alansaria Primary School for Girls, Al Maha Academy for Girls, Durham School for Girls, Al Jazeera Academy- Ta’allum Education Group, Abu Obaida Preparatory for Boys School, SEK International School Qatar, and Qatar Science and Technology Secondary School for Boys.
Lana Khalaf, Country General Manager of Microsoft Qatar distributed the awards to the representatives of the schools and congratulated them on achieving the “Showcase School” status; in attendance were representatives from the eLearning department of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.
During the event, principals from seven schools highlighted their participation in the programme which enabled them to develop their establishments.
Mariam Numan Al Emadi, Principle at Hind bint Abu Sufyan Secondary School for Girls said: “In our school we have applied technology in our classes through using Microsoft tools which helped my students reach their full potential. We are leveraging Microsoft tools and apps such as Teams, OneDrive, OneNote, Sway, PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel and Word, Forms, to improve the teaching / learning outcomes for our staff and students and equip them with future-ready skills”.
Verónica Sánchez, Head of School at SEK International School added: “Tools like Microsoft WhiteBoard, FlipGrid, PowerPoint (also to create screen recordings) and Stream, have been critical especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. These tools in conjunction with the Stylus have really saved education during these though times”.
Jeanette Azouz, Principal at Al Maha Academy for Girls said: “Microsoft Teams is an essential tool which has revolutionised teaching and learning, collaboration, and communication across the Academy and the wider Al Maha Academy for Girls’ community”.
Feryal Mustafa, Secondary Assistant Headteacher added: “As the Assistant Headteacher for Teaching and Learning at AMAG I have found the Reading Progress tool, which is embedded in Microsoft Teams, to be very useful and easy tool to use in the classroom. It is designed to support and track the reading fluency of students in English lessons. Students record their reading on camera and submit it to the teacher. As the teacher marks and returns the students’ work, data is automatically collected and organised, this easy and quick way to review and analyse the data has helped teachers spend more time and focus with students and less time analysing data. An excellent tool to support both teacher and student”.
