Doha: Assistant Foreign Minister H E Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater has stressed that protecting education from attack is highly significant for Qatar.
She noted that the country’s impartial mediations in various conflicts over the past two decades provided close monitoring of the advantages of education and the devastation emanating from its absence, which made an investment in sound education a top priority for the State of Qatar both regionally and globally.
In a recorded speech delivered at a side event on the occasion of the second anniversary of the International Day to Protect Education from Attack, Al Khater said Qatar has always been one of the main supporters of the Safe Schools Declaration since it was launched in 2015.
She noted that the establishment of the Education Above All Foundation, one of the sponsors of this event, aimed at providing quality education for those affected by poverty, conflict and disasters, highlighting the foundation’s “Educate A Child” Programme projects implemented with 82 global partners and 50 countries and its achievement of getting 10 million children enrolled in schools.
Al Khater said that the draft resolution submitted by Qatar to adopt the International Day to Protect Education from Attack was unanimously adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in recognition of the importance of ensuring quality education at all levels, and ensuring safe learning environments in emergencies and armed conflicts.
She deemed marking this occasion an opportunity to contemplate how education can improve our lives and liberate us from vicious circles that create nothing but destruction, and how attacks on education can threaten the well-being and survival of millions of our children worldwide.
Al Khater noted that the COVID-19 pandemic posed an exceptional challenge for both teachers and students, most notably those living in conflict areas, calling for deeming education at the heart of international efforts to recover from the pandemic amid a notable surge in attacks on schools.
According to the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attacks (GCPEA) report (Education Under Attack 2021), in 2020 and 202, more than 5,000 attacks were recorded on educational facilities, students and teachers, and more than 9,000 students, teachers, and academics were harmed, injured or killed in attacks on education amid armed conflicts. Her Excellency said deeming the figures extremely alarming that necessitate immediate attention and need for further action to protect education from attack.
Al Khater said that the optimum protection of education from attack will only be achieved by putting an end to armed conflicts, calling for concrete steps to ensure the safety of students and teachers.
