Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Minister of Education and Higher Education H E Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater honouring a teacher during the ceremony yesterday.
Doha, Qatar: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani yesterday honoured 80 teachers from government schools in recognition of their distinguished careers and contributions to education at a ceremony marking World Teachers’ Day.
Held under the theme “Giving that Bears Fruit” and organised by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education at the Ritz-Carlton Doha, the ceremony brought together Speaker of the Shura Council H E Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanem, Minister of Education and Higher Education H E Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater, senior education and academic officials, school principals, teachers, parents, and students.
The 80 honourees were recognised for their dedication and outstanding efforts in the educational field, their contributions to advancing the learning process, developing students’ capabilities and skills, and instilling values and principles that help shape their personalities and prepare them for the future.
In her address, the Minister of Education and Higher Education expressed her appreciation to the Prime Minister for patronising the ceremony and for his continued recognition of the teaching profession, as well as his support for attracting national and local talent to education in recognition of the teacher’s central role in the advancement of nations.
She stressed that a teacher’s impact cannot be measured only by what is taught in the classroom each day, but by what is left in students’ minds and hearts throughout their lives. “The impact of a teacher is not measured by what he or she teaches in a single day, but by what they leave in the hearts of their students throughout their lives,” she said, highlighting the great responsibility carried by teachers and the lasting impact they have on society.
Al Khater also praised teachers for their role during the exceptional circumstances the country experienced recently, saying they were among those who shouldered responsibility at the forefront. She said teachers remained at their posts during a period marked by uncertainty, providing students with reassurance and a sense of security while ensuring that the educational process did not stop for a single day.
Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani honouring teachers at the ceremony yesterday.
They also played a key role in preparing students and training them on evacuation and safety procedures when schools returned to normal operations, she added. The Minister said teachers simultaneously assumed several roles, serving as educators, role models, mentors and guides while keeping students connected to learning.
She stressed that this resilience was not a product of the moment, but the result of planning, preparedness and investment in people and national capabilities, as emphasised by H H the Amir in his recent address to the United Nations General Assembly.
Highlighting Qatar’s longstanding appreciation of teachers, Al Khater recalled the example of the late Father Amir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who maintained deep gratitude for his former teacher Ahmed Ali Mansour decades after being taught by him as a child. She said his decision to travel to Egypt upon learning of his teacher’s death, despite his many responsibilities, was a lasting example of loyalty and appreciation for those who had contributed to his education.
Al Khater said attracting highly qualified professionals to teaching, preparing them effectively and creating an environment that encourages them to remain in the profession are among the ministry’s top priorities. She highlighted the strategic partnership with Qatar University, which has led to a comprehensive review of bachelor’s programmes in education, including special education. Updated programmes offering a wider range of specialisations to meet the needs of different educational stages and keep pace with developments in the sector are expected to be announced soon, she said.
She also highlighted the “Tomooh” scholarship programme for students pursuing education-related specialisations. The programme has so far produced 1,766 teachers, while 1,147 students are currently pursuing their studies through it. The number of male students enrolled in Tomooh has risen from 16 three years ago to more than 300 over the past two years, she said, adding that the programme has been expanded to include children of Qatari women, holders of Qatari documents and permanent residency holders, alongside Qatari students.
Al Khater also highlighted the “Tamheen” programme, which enables graduates from other academic disciplines to enter the teaching profession.
It has produced 197 teachers through seven cohorts after participants completed an intensive six-month training programme.
She praised the partnership with Teach For Qatar, which has attracted 575 professionals from diverse fields to government schools since its establishment, including engineering, medicine, pharmacy and Islamic studies, contributing varied expertise to the educational environment.
On professional development, Al Khater said 33,000 teachers, school leaders and support staff had benefited from programmes offered by the Training and Development Centre this year, while 1,466 professional licences had been issued to education professionals.
