The Knowledge Review came up with an edition specially dedicated to education in Qatar – The 10 Best Schools in Qatar. The future of education in Qatar looks bright.

1. Education. Innovation. Success
NOWLEDGEREVIEW
T
H
E NOWLEDGEREVIEW
www.theknowledgereview.com
TM
2021 | VOL. - 01 | ISSUE - 02
EXCELLENCE IN AND BEYOND CLASSROOMS
T
H
E
10
BEST SCHOOLS
QATAR
2021
IN

4. EDITOR’S
NOTE
S
and dunes and shorelines, futuristic high rises, the
modern architecture and the ancient one is what describe
Qatar the best. It is also known for The Limestone
Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, which is a blend of modern
architecture inspired by Islamic architecture and for being the
richest country in the world.
It is rated as high-income economy by the World Bank by virtue
of being the third largest natural gas reserves and oil reserves.
Its Al Jazeera Media Network is a globally renowned media
group. But Qatar is much more than these. Qatar will be the
first Arabic country to host the FIFA World Cup next year and
Asian Games in 2030. And when it comes to education Qatar
has emerged remarkably well in a relatively short period of
time.
With approximately 338 international schools in the country,
Qatar is creating waves in the education sphere. Education here
is very diverse and caters to all kinds of students. Though
formal schooling began very late in Qatar as compared to the
other countries, education in Qatar has picked up very well in
the country. Several reputed universities across the world have
set up their campuses here. But it was around two decades ago
that the Qatari government became serious about reforming
the education system in Qatar and to enhance the quality of
A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR
EDUCATION IN QATAR

5. education. For this purpose, it hired RAND Corporation
to analyse the education system, after which the
Supreme Education Council launched the Education for
a New Era Initiative.
Qatar then went on to adopt the Western education
system for its pre-school education. With the education
reforms, Qatar witnessed a new dawn in education and
number of independent schools opened. Since then
there has been no looking back for Qatar in providing
quality education and to continuously keep raising the
standards of education.
Several international schools were opened for the
children of the expatriate population in Qatar. Besides
upgrading the school and college education, the Qatari
government has taken up a huge initiative to encourage
research by high school students in Science technology
engineering and mathematics. This opened many
avenues for students to explore their interests in
research.
In 2009, it also launched the World Innovation Summit
for education, a global platform to discuss education
related issues. Qatar thus began emerging as the new
education hub and began to be recognised for it, not
just for its oil reserves and wealth.
Today, Qatar is in constant pursuit of working on its
education system and in improving the quality of
education. The world now recognises Qatar as a
country that is serious about providing the best in
education. The country is making great strides in
education to provide the best of international
curriculum to its students. Qatar boasts of number of
its students being placed in universities across the
world.
Recognising this emerging education hub and as a
tribute to the efforts of educators there, we at The
Knowledge Review came up with an edition specially
dedicated to education in Qatar – The 10 Best Schools in
Qatar. The future of education in Qatar looks bright.
Have a great time gaining insights about education in
Qatar as you flip through the pages of this interesting
edition! T R
Sumita Sarkar
sumita@theknowledgereview.com

6. Contents
Article
08
22
Cover Story

7. 26
18
32

8. JANUARY, 2021
Copyright © 2021 Insights Success Media and Technology Pvt. Ltd., All
rights reserved. The content and images used in this magazine should
not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without
prior permission from Insights success. Reprint rights remain solely
with Insights Success Media and Technology Pvt. Ltd. The Knowledge
Review is powered by Insights Success Media and Technology Pvt. Ltd.
CORPORATE OFFICE
www.facebook.com/theknowledgereview/
twitter.com/theknowledgerv
Follow us on:
We are also available on:
People behind this edition
Editor-in-Chief Sumita Sarkar
Co-designer Rahul Shinde
Art & Picture Editor Priyanka Rajage
Art & Design Head Asha Bange
SME-SMO Executive Atul Dhoran
Circulation Manager Tanaji
Digital Marketing Manager Amol Wadekar
Technical Specialist Pratiksha Patil
Marketing Manager David Brown
Business Development Executives Phill Miller, Stella Hill,
Frank Baskin
Operations Head Megha Mishra
Managing Editor
Aditya Umale, Ananda Das
Contributing Writers
Darshan Parmar
Assisting Editor
Abhishaj Sajeev
The Knowledge Review

9. URL
Name of the Institution Brief
American School of Doha
aspire.qa
Founded in 1988 by the United States
Ambassador Joseph Ghougassian, the American
School of Doha is a U.S. accredited college
preparatory school committed to providing
educational excellence.
Aspire Academy
dess.org
Doha English Speaking
School (DESS)
voltairedoha.com
A globally recognised national sports academy
for the development of Qatar's athletically
talented boys. It started with the goal to scout and
develop Qatari athletes, whilst also providing
secondary school.
Lycee Franco-Qatarien
Voltaire
debakeyatqatar.org
Lycee Franco-Qatarien Voltaire is a French
international school, which originated from an
international convention agreed upon between
the French and Qatari governments.
Michael E. DeBakey
High School – QATAR
(DHSHP@Q)
nobleqatar.com
DHSHP is a private international middle and
secondary school in Doha, Qatar, which aims at
training professionals in medicine, science,
engineering, and business with US based
curriculum.
oxfordenglishschool1.com
Qatar Academy for Science
and Technology (QAST)
qis.org
Qatar International
School (QIS)
Oxford English School
NIS has been providing high quality education
as a Coed Day school in Abu Hamour, Doha,
which services the educational need of
hundreds of students from KG 1 through XII
Oxford Enlish School provides learning
opportunities for students aged 3-11, by
implementing the guidelines of the British
National Curriculum.
QAST is a high school under the Qatar
Foundation, designed to develop Qatar's next
generation of STEM innovators. QAST offers both
a US Diploma through AP courses and UK 'A'
level certications.
A British patterned international school which
follows the IGCSE/A-levels system. From very
humble beginnings 40 years ago, it has now
grown into one of the most succesful schools in
the country.
Sherborne Qatar
Preparatory School
sherborneqatar.org
An illustrious international school which was
formed at the invitation of the Supreme
Education Council. The school follows British
curriculum.
Noble International
School (NIS)
qf.org.qa
asd.edu.qa
For over 30 years DESS, one of the longest
established primary not-for-prot schools in Qatar,
has provided children with an outstanding
education through the British curriculum.
T
H
E
10
BEST SCHOOLS
QATAR
2021
IN

11. EXCELLENCE IN AND BEYOND CLASSROOMS
T
H
E
10
BEST SCHOOLS
QATAR
2021
IN

12. High quality learning in an
engaging, safe and
prosperous environment,
superior values and excelling beyond
classrooms are what every parent
would yearn for the children.
One such school in Doha, Qatar with a
legacy of 30 years is satiating the
needs of families across the globe and
is committed to respect, honesty,
responsibility, and compassion. These
core values undergird the school’s
mission and vision. It is the American
School of Doha, the only school that
offers AP (advanced placement) and IB
(International Baccalaureate) courses
in Qatar.
The American School of Doha is an
independent, U.S. accredited, college
preparatory school committed to
providing educational excellence,
through a standard-based,
internationally enriched American
curriculum, serving a multicultural
student body.
The History
Established in 1988 by the U.S.
Embassy and prominent members of
the Qatari community, ASD has
witnessed and met the growing needs
of international families in Doha. Now,
more than 30 years later, ASD has
become one of the premier American
international schools in the world. The
diversity of cultures and backgrounds
is an exciting strength of the school.
Originally named American
International School (AIS), it opened
in a small villa consisting of grades 1-5
in 1998. With support from the US
Embassy and financial contributions
from the Qatari business community,
ASD Doha was founded by Omar Al-
Mana, US Ambassador Charles Dunbar
(1983-1985), Jassim Jaidah, US
Ambassador Joseph Ghougassian
(1985-1989), and Sheikh Mohammed
bin Hammad Al-Thani, Minister of
Education for the State of Qatar.
In 1989-90, the school moved to
purpose-built campus and expanded to
house middle school, grades 6 to 8, and
the first overseas administrator joined
staff. In 1994, the school earned
accreditation by the New England
Association of Schools and Colleges
(NESAC). The library was expanded,
and computer/technology capabilities
and a language center added to the new
campus.
In 1995-96, AIS expanded to High
School and in 1996 AIS has its first
graduating class. In 1997, it got
renamed to the American School of
Doha. The new campus opened in 1998
in Al-Bustan, Oman.

13. Mission
The American School of Doha is
committed to the intellectual and
personal development of students,
inspiring them, and empowering them
to become positive, active global
citizens.
Vision
ASD is a future-focused community
where learning is collaborative, fun
and engaging, extended beyond walls,
created to foster innovation, sustained
by responsible practices
data-informed and evidence-based,
authentic, solving real-world problems,
encouraged in a technology-enhanced
environment. ASD is where students
are encouraged to extend their own
learning.
Values: Respect, Honesty,
Responsibility, Compassion.
Standing Apart
The distinctive classrooms and
ergonomically designed common
The American
School of Doha is
committed to the
intellectual and
personal
development of
students, inspiring
them, and
empowering them
to become positive,
active global
citizens
“
“

14. spaces all communicate an inescapable
message that high-quality learning is
ASD’s main purpose. With the support
of the Board of Trustees, the Board of
Directors, the leadership team and the
highly supportive parent community,
ASD provides comprehensive
programs and education which are
second to none in the region.
ASD’s vision sets them on paths to
create collaborative, fun, and creative
environments for children and young
adults.
At ASD, learners are challenged to
extend their learning and to become
both positive and active global citizens.
American School of Doha’s focus on
student learning in a safe, secure
environment ensures that each of our
students is encouraged to reach his or
her potential. Schools routinely
become a hub for families in
international environments.
“Our focus on community
development, our comprehensive set of
programs and activities to support
student learning, and our amazing
campus offer students and families a
true place of belonging and connection
here in Doha,” says Steve M Razidlo,
the Director of ASD.
Steve’s illustrious career includes –
having been the Superintendent of
Brainerd Public Schools, and later
becoming the Director of The
American International Schools,
Vienna. And now finally becoming the
Director of ASD in 2020.
“We choose sustainable practices, we
harness current technology, and we
promote evidence-based approaches to
the study of real-world problems,”
added Steve Razidlo.
Inspiring Infrastructure
The sprawling campus and the world-
class facilities provide spacious and
dynamic spaces for the committed

15. teachers and coaches to offer
extraordinary opportunities to all its
learners.
Security: The security office retains a
full guard force who staff guard posts
24 hours a day and consistently works
to mitigate security risks and ensure
the safety of the school community.
Facilities: The facilities office,
managed by a third-party partner aims
to maintain and continuously improve
ASD’s first class facilities.
Cafeteria services: Cafeteria services
are available for all students from
grade 1 through 12, with options that
include healthy lunches and a fresh
juice and smoothie bar catered by Jazz
Cafe, and snacks and coffee offered by
Coffee Beanery.
Transportation services are available
from ASD’s third party provider – Pick
Quick, offering transportation before
and after school, as well as buses
serving students involved in after
school activities and in-school field
trips.
Education with utmost Security
The American School of Doha is
committed to safeguarding and
promoting the welfare of all students.
Providing a safe and welcoming
environment where children are
respected and valued. All employees
are responsible for the care, safety, and
protection of children. This
responsibility extends to the
identification and timely response to
concerns regarding the possible sexual,
physical, psychological and emotional
abuse or neglect of a child.
Mandated Reporting
All employees are mandated to
communicate any concerns they have
to their direct supervisor and/or
divisional administration. The school
“
“
ASD is a future-focused
community where
learning is collaborative,
fun and engaging,
extended beyond walls,
and created to foster
innovation
“
“
We choose sustainable
practices, we harness
current technology, and
we promote evidence-
based approaches to the
study of real-world
problems

16. uses fair and proper procedures when making
decisions that affect a person’s rights or interests.
Background Checks
In addition to positive work references,
employment at ASD is contingent upon
provision of a satisfactory criminal history
check. All new faculty will be required to
undertake a background check before
commencing employment.
Code of Conduct
All employees of the school are required to
abide by the procedures outlined in the ASD
Child Protection Code of Conduct.
Parent Support
The American School of Doha’s (ASD) students
and the school, benefit in a myriad of ways from
volunteer parent groups including the Parent
Teacher Association (PTA), Booster Club,
Creative Arts Support Team (CAST), Jr/Sr
Parents, and the Arab Mothers Association
(AMA). The following descriptions detail each
organization’s activities and provide contact
information:
Helping Parents Play an Active Role
The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) plays a
vital role in supporting and strengthening the
ASD community. Every parent, student, faculty
member and administration belong to the PTA
and has an important role to play. PTA’s role is
simple but focused: supporting and
strengthening the ASD community and
reinforcing the partnership between home and
school.
The PTA supports educational and social
development by supporting the school’s
academic, athletic and fine arts curriculums and
financially contributing to enrichment programs
for the students. “We also support parents
ensuring they are connected to ASD and feel a
valued and welcome member of the school
community. They place special emphasis on
welcoming new parents and students and easing
their transition into a new school and country,
sharing the wonderful Qatari culture and way of
life. We have set up two dedicated committees to

17. support this: The Parent Community
and the Culture Committee,” inform
the school administration.
The key focus is to support enhanced
learning by reinvesting directly into
children’s education in a tangible and
sustained manner. ASD is fortunate to
have an amazing group of corporate
sponsors who support their fundraising
activities and they always welcome
new sponsors.
“We reinvest 100% of the funds raised
from all PTA sponsored events.”
ASD also has an exciting calendar of
innovative fundraising and social
activities which include:
Friendship Festival – A popular
family event with local entertainment,
games, local markets, and food
PTA Calendar – A student-led
calendar with images of Qatar and the
ASD community
International Buffet – A celebration
of the many wonderful cuisines from
the school’s multi-national community
Homeroom Parent Coordinator –
Organizing volunteer parents for
Elementary School (ES)
The PTA is a community of members
from many different nationalities and
cultures. This wonderful diverse
multi-national blend enables to provide
the best community for the children.
Additionally, they welcome all
volunteers for committees or just
giving one hour helping at any of their
activities during the school year.
Booster
The American School of Doha’s (ASD)
Booster Club is a volunteer
organization that supports the activities
of the ASD Athletics Office.
The ASD Booster Club sells
concessions at games and events, hosts
a monthly hot dog lunch for the Middle
School (MS) and High School (HS),
and sponsors baseball and softball
tournaments.
The Booster Club also operates a
Booster Club Store with ASD
memorabilia in the High School (HS)
with all proceeds going towards
supporting ASD Athletic programs and
Middle East South Asia Conference
(MESAC) programs.
Creative Arts Support Team (CAST) is
a group of dedicated parents who
provide support to the Fine Arts
Department at the American School of
Doha (ASD). CAST provides hands-on
support with meals during long
rehearsals and cast parties as well as
providing financial assistance for
school trips and for the purchase of
new equipment to benefit the Fine Arts
Department.
CAST’s passion for the Arts makes a
great impact for their fine arts students,
and for everyone in the school
enjoying the use of the ASD Theater.
Junior/Senior Fundraising
Committee
The Junior/Senior Parents goal is to
make the senior year all the more
memorable for their grade 12 students.
The Junior/Senior Parents host favorite
fundraising events during the year such
as the Pumpkin Patch, Valentines’ Day
Treats, and St. Patrick’s Day root beer
floats. The committee also provides the
concessions for the popular
Powderpuff Football Game between
the Junior and Senior girls.
Arab Mother’s Association
The Arab Mother’s Association (AMA)
consists of a group of mothers who act
as a support group for the school and
students.
AMA members help in school events,
assist new students and their families
in getting acquainted with the Qatari
culture, and help them feel welcome in
their new community. To date, the
AMA has worked on many initiatives
beginning with Eid Al Adha by placing
creative displays in both the
Elementary School (ES) and High
School (HS) filled with Arabic
desserts, beautiful calligraphy displays,
a majlis, and pictures of Eid
celebrations around the world.
Aspiring to Make a Difference
ASD has already been dubbed by its
many admirers as the best school for
quality education in all of Qatar, and
they are not about to throw in the towel
yet.
Living up to their mission statement,
ASD has taken the ultimate charge to
guide students to be positive, active
global citizens. This simple statement
fashions the way forward for their
whole community. Enrolling here will
only enable you to find the evidence of
that commitment to learning
everywhere you look and in every
conversation you have at the American
School of Doha.
Our focus on
community
development, our
comprehensive set of
programs and activities
to support student
learning, and our
amazing campus offer
students and families a
true place of belonging
and connection here in
Doha
“
“

20. DOHA ENGLISH SPEAKING SCHOOL
Providing a Caring and Comprehensive Learning Environment
Legacy is a concept foreign to a
lot of institutions. Many fail to
establish a trail of successful
events and achievements when it
comes to enabling a fulfilling
education, and education as you may
know, sets the foundation of our lives.
Children learn the basics of everything
from a very young age and a thorough
education helps them with channelling
a positive attitude towards their
learning process. It helps in setting up
building blocks while creating a way
for their interests to surface as time
passes by. But, facilitating education in
a seamless manner is still a difficult
task. It is a task that many schools and
institutions fail to comply with and do
not deliver in the manner they are
expected to.
Hence, making a name in the
educational space is of paramount
importance for any premier teaching
institute in order to garner trust of
parents for generations to come. All of
this has to be achieved while fostering
excellent learning environment for
students.
One particular school, for over forty
years, has been upholding an approach
similar to the notions mentioned above.
We present to you, Doha English
Speaking School (DESS), one of the
longest established not-for-profit
Primary Schools in Qatar.
18 JANUARY | 2021

21. 19
JANUARY | 2021

22. The School spends time researching,
developing and adapting novel ways in
which it teaches children or students
while ensuring to create the best
learning experience for them. “If we
figure out something and if that works,
we do more of it,”
DESS provides children with an
inspirational curriculum. The
curriculum at DESS creates life-long
treasured memories for students and it
prides on enabling a dynamic learning
environment for children.
“We believe in nurturing the whole
child,” adds the Principal. The values
of DESS – responsibility, kindness,
perseverance, and respect are at the
heart of daily life at school. Students
underpin everything the school teaches
and as a result it nurtures respectful,
resourceful and empathetic children.
DESS Dynamics
The DESS Board oversees the
management and development of the
school working closely with the Senior
Leadership Team to propose policy,
strategy, improvement plans, use of
resources and educational
developments.
As children move through various year
groups, DESS’s focus continues to be
on developing knowledgeable, forward
thinking learners with a passion for
learning. Teaching staff challenge, give
opportunities for academic and
personal growth, and develop the
children’s interests, talents and self-
confidence.
Students at DESS enjoy a broad and
balanced curriculum beyond the
essential life skills of English and
Maths. It integrates special days or
weeks where the emphasis is on
developing, reinforcing and applying
skills learnt, such as Roman Day,
Environment Day as well as Science
and Book Week. Exciting and wide
ranging after school activities
complement DESS’s teaching program.
DESS is a not for profit community
school sponsored by the British
Embassy. They have strong links with
its parental body through the parent
counsel. This has assisted its Senior
Leadership team to improve areas of
the school that including
communication, home learning and
outcomes for students.
Friends of DESS (FOD) is the
fundraising forum for parents and
teachers. FOD have generously
contributed to the school’s community
garden, adventure playground and trim
trail. Every year FOD organizes
fantastic events including the
A Journey of Progress
th
2019 marked the 40 Anniversary of
the official inauguration of DESS by
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and
His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin
Khalifa al Thani, the present Amir’s
father.
DESS provides children with an
outstanding education through the
British curriculum. The school was
established to serve the British
community and continues to do so till
present day. It has a level of excellence
unmatched by other British schools in
Qatar. Although predominantly British,
the school now has no less than 45
represented nationalities.
“We believe in making children world
class learners, developing in them
confidence and thirst for knowledge
that enables them to realize their
talents and create their own futures,”
Sean Sibley Principal.
DESS’s work is initiated by nurturing
the many qualities and skills that
parents have fostered at home. The
school believes in working with
parents to encourage children to be
confident, courteous, responsible, and
independent in order to achieve high
academic standards and values.
20 JANUARY | 2021
2021

23. Community Garden Planting Morning,
Winter Fair, Ice Lolly and Pizza Days
and Bake Sales for the students to
enjoy. All profits made go back into the
school to enhance the learning
experience for the children of DESS.
Exhibiting Academic Excellence
At DESS, everyday technology is used
to facilitate and enhance learning. An
education beyond the walls of DESS is
central to developing confidence and
self-discovery. The school operates
camps within Qatar for its younger key
stage 2 children and a week abroad for
those who are in year 6.
Specialist subjects are taught by
experienced Music, PE, Computing,
Arabic, Islamic Studies and French
teachers. Children are actively engaged
in a variety of experiences which foster
their ability to research, debate,
become analytical, evaluate and extend
critical thinking skills. We push the
boundaries beyond the mere
acquisition of knowledge.
DESS offers a diverse physical
education program with unrivalled
opportunities for both girls and boys to
acquire skills, develop strength and
stamina and play competitively for the
school. Its swimming, netball, football,
indoor and outdoor athletics and
basketball squads are regularly placed
on the winning podium of the many
key national competitions they
participate in. Music is a foundation
subject taught to every child where
pupils learn music theory, sing and
play instruments as part of theory
lessons.
Students also have the opportunity to
take part in instrumental lessons after
school hours. DESS’s choir has won
the Qatar Primary School Choir of the
Year Competition and is well known
throughout the country, performing at
high profile events at the British
Embassy, other local events and
national competitions.
During DESS’s recent inspection by
Penta International, they were awarded
the highest grading of ‘outstanding’.
The grading allows the school to be
easily compared with other UK and
overseas independent schools. Students
leave DESS well-prepared to move
successfully to their next phase of
education whether in the UK or
internationally.
In the Sunday Times Schools Guide
2019, compared with 2400 Fee Paying
th
Schools in the UK, DESS came 38 .
This puts DESS in the top 2% of UK
Fee Paying Schools (based on Y6
SATS). “Our Alumni community holds
dear their memories of attending DESS
and still remains in close contact with
us,” Sean Sibley, Principal.
The Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin
Hamad Al-Thani and many of the royal
family have attended this prestigious
school. DESS is an exemplary learning
institution with profound resources and
the ability to take your child’s future to
the next level.
“OUR STUDENT’S
ACADEMIC RESULTS
ARE SIGNIFICANTL
Y
ABOVE THOSE
DEMONSTRATED IN
THE UK NATIONAL
AVERAGE STATISTICS”
21
JANUARY | 2021

24. to the
QatariEducation
Sector
student loans and scholarship funding, although some
students now choose to take out a private education loan.
The mandatory elementary and preparatory school years for
aged 6 to 15 children are government-funded for Qataris
through independent school systems. Most expats choose to
send their children to private schools, as even though some
independent schools do admit foreign nationals, spots for
their admission are limited.
The Supreme Education Council (SEC) overlooks the
private school system, yet schools are free to set their own
curriculum and award international qualifications. Qatar
holds early education in very high regards. Hence, the SEC
is planning on making educational pre-school compulsory
for children aged 3-6 years to promote a culture of learning
through play.
The education system in Qatar is categorised under
two separate pillars – basic education and higher
education. Basic education comprises of pre-
school, primary and secondary education. Whereas higher
education comprises of courses offered at the undergraduate
and post-graduate levels, the elementary education is made
mandatory in Qatar with free education for nationals at
primary and secondary public schools.
Higher education has seen a rapid growth with increasing
numbers of foreign universities setting up shop in Qatar,
with many of these universities situated at its Education
City of Doha. The Qatar Foundation has played an
instrumental role in this growth, facilitating many of the
Map
22 JANUARY | 2021

25. Qatar Education Overview
Challenges to Education Sector
Throughout the Middle East, education has always been
represented as the primary platform of socioeconomic
development and the engine for productivity and prosperity.
But the past century has seen the education sector in the
region face a variety of challenges, and these challenges
vary from one country to another and relate to different
elements of the educational ecosystem.
Qatar, owing to the intensifying competition in the region,
saw an overabundance of schools, high operational costs,
and overall shortage of teachers, which collectively is
contributing to the increasing pressure of the education
sector. Some of the challenges faced by the education
industry in Qatar are as follows:
Ÿ Shortage of educators
The rising demand of teachers in their home countries and
a high cost of living in Qatar continue to be a deterrent for
the retention of experienced academia. The demand for
international and private schools are growing globally.
The schools inevitably necessitate recruiting teachers
from an ever-decreasing pool of qualified and experienced
talent.
Ÿ
Ÿ Students going abroad
Students in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) prefer to
pursue higher education abroad due to limited access to
reputable international institutions at home. Add to that
the need to master global competencies that ensure
employment opportunities in the international markets, is
a source of worry for the educational institutions of Qatar.
Ÿ Education to meet the future market
The principal challenge before the education sector is to
provide education that is aligned with the requirements of
today as well as the future. The Qatari government is
increasingly gravitating towards a digital future;
therefore, it is important to impart skills that enable young
people to be competent professionals of the future.
Ÿ Excess supply of schools
This competitive landscape dictates that only the fittest
will survive; many of the schools need to improve their
quality of education and update their pedagogical
systems, or risk shutting down. The influx of international
institutions and the over-abundance of local education
providers have led to an increasingly competitive
environment among private operators. This leads to
pricing/tuition difficulties and a gradual reduction in gross
profits over time.
Factors Contributing to Educational Growth
The increasing preference for private education is driving
enrolments of private schools and providing attractive
opportunities for private school operators. Apart from that
there are many factors contributing to industry growth,
some of which are listed as follows:
Ÿ Population growth:
The increasing intake of expats in Qatar drive the
country's population due to attractive employment
opportunities and tax-free lifestyle. Additionally, the
rising standards of living and improvement in life
expectancy and birth rates are also factors that influence
the growth, which consequently fuel growth to
international schools and universities across the country.
Ÿ High per capita income
The average per capita income of the entire GCC region
was US$ 25, 266 in 2016, as compared to the global
average of US$ 10,376. Meanwhile, Qatar was ranked as
the wealthiest nation in the world the same year, with a
per capita income of US$ 58,247. Several important
factors such as free public education and healthcare and a
low tax environment have contributed to a high personal
income. Thus, propensity of the country to spend on
quality education has increased.
Ÿ Government Initiatives
Of late, the government of Qatar has been focusing on
facilitating business development and partnership
opportunities within the regional private education
operators, thus leading to triple the investment in private
schools by 2020. Moreover, the Qatari government is
lending many a helping hand to the education sector by
exempting customs, providing free water and electricity,
land plots, buildings, textbooks, and school vouchers for
Qatari students.
The education sector of Qatar is continuing to grow on
account of growing population, high per capita income, and
a growing preference for private education. All the while,
the education sector has been a top priority for the
government, as seen by their sizeable budgetary allocations
towards the sector.
The population of Qatar ha more than doubled since 2004
and more institutions are needed to cope with the growing
demand. The Qatari government is conscious of this
situation and the SEC is making concerted effort to promote
the establishment of top international institutions.
- Aditya Umale
23
JANUARY | 2021

28. FRANCO-QATARI LYCÉE VOLTAIRE
Inculcating Rich Cultural Values with a Focus on Quality Education
wareness, humanity,
Abrotherhood, mannerism
tolerance, intelligence,
creativity and repulsion; everything
falls under the purview of education
and thus it is deemed as the foundation
of all and life itself. From the aforesaid
we can say that education is the
premise of progress of a nation, a
society and a nation itself.
The point to be noted here is that
between personal growth, change in
society and its realization stands the
need of education. But, the actual
question is what sort of education? The
greatest concern of any educational
institution should be to help students
grow both academically and
intellectually.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s words
rightfully explain the true purpose of
education. He says, “The purpose of
education is to teach one to think
intensively and to think critically.
Intelligence plus character –that is the
goal of true education.” Thus, any
educational institution starting from
preschools, schools to colleges should
ensure that what students learn in
classroom or more importantly how
students learn helps in developing all
the skills they need to thrive in their
life.
Education institution should building
students’ capacity to think and enabling
them to be self-learners which will
create conditions for their sustained
growth. As a result, students gradually
learn to cope and adapt with the
changing world.
One such school that has achieved this
goal in the most prolific manner is the
Franco-Qatari Lycée Voltaire. It is
among handful of those schools that
has succeeded in growing its presence
due the quality of being persistent in its
quest of excellence.
Tailoring a Holistic Academic
Journey
Established in 2007, the Franco-Qatari
Lycée Voltaire pursues the ideal of its
founding fathers, and helps strengthen
the privileged links between Qatar and
France, through language, education
and culture, all related to knowledge.
The Lycée Voltaire was inaugurated on
th
the 13 of January 2008 January by the
Crown Prince of Qatar, Tamim Ben
26 JANUARY | 2021

29. Hamad Al Thani, now Emir of Qatar
and the President of the French
Republic Nicolas Sarkozy.
It welcomes nearly 1,700 students of
forty nationalities on 3 campuses
including West Bay, Al Waab and
Salwa. The school promotes an
education open to the world, respectful
of the plurality of identities which
makes it so rich. The excellence of the
teaching provided in Arabic, French
and English responds to the desire of
the Lycée Voltaire to offer high-quality
academic training, conducive to
academic success and ‘living together’.
The Lycée Voltaire project aims at
supporting each student on a chosen
path through French programs and
exams. This freedom of choice,
associated with the variety of training
offered, has enabled it to build places
of fraternity from nursery to final year
classes (senior year) by offering
courses that meet the wishes of
families to enrich the culture of their
children, the culture of others.
The Guiding Light
We established how the school focuses
on preparing its students to be
confident, life-long learners, problem
solvers and creative thinkers. Aiding
the school to achieve this goal is Dr.
Ali Ben Fetais Al Marri. He sets the
orientations of the school and chairs
the educational, administrative and
financial management of the school is
entrusted to a board of directors
The board of directors issues the main
orientations of the school in regards to
the Voltaire Project. The council pays a
particular attention to the schooling of
children of Qatari and French
nationalities (which represent more
than 60% of the total number) in order
to support the desire of the State of
Qatar to fully participate in the French-
speaking world.
27
JANUARY | 2021

30. privileged links between Qatar and
France, through language, education
and culture.
A Student-Centric Curriculum
Students here are not viewed as empty
vessels where information has to be
poured but, instead they are viewed as
self-learners. The faculties of this
school realizes that every student is
different and hence, everyone posses a
different learning ability. However,
holistic growth of each student is of
paramount importance to this school.
Thus students here, are encouraged to
create a theory of their world (self-
learn) and test their hypothesis with
real-life and hands-on experiences, all
of this is further is aligned with the
school’s curricula.
The Franco-Qatarien Lycée Voltaire
currently offers only one academic
program: the French program. It
follows a lesson plan in accordance
with the principles of French
education, with French programs and
with the principles of French
pedagogical and educational
organization, structures its educational
organization.
As mentioned before, the Franco-
Qatarien Lycée Voltaire aims at
bridging the gap between the two
cultures. Thus its academic program
also takes into account the specificities
defined by the State of Qatar,
particularly in regards to the teaching
of the Arabic language for all pupils
and the teaching of the Muslim
religion, compulsory for all Qatari
pupils.
Furthermore, the school ensures that
class schedules are conducted as
defined by the French Ministry of
Education and Youth and the Qatari
Ministry of Education and Higher
Education are respected.
An Environment Enhancing Growth
Complementing its strategy of
developing skilled learners is the
environment the students are nurtured
in. Thus, while focusing on the
educational growth, this school equally
puts emphasis nurturing their skills and
polishes their talents.
To do the same, the Lycée Voltaire has
developed a large range of
extracurricular activities either in
addition to its basic teaching, or by
offering sports and cultural activities
beyond school time by signing
partnerships with the PSG Academy
for football, or with the Qatari fencing
federation. Furthermore, it has also
collaborated with UNESCO associated
schools, which allows the Franco-
Qatarien Lycée Voltaire to organize its
actions around United Nations’
flagship projects.
Adding Value to Education
• We have already established that
Franco-Qatarien Lycée Voltaire
promotes quality education that is
open to the world and respectful of
the plurality of identities that make it
so rich. Enabling the school to
achieve this goal is:
• Its excellent teaching in Arabic,
French, English and others, which
guarantees a high-quality academic
training conducive to academic
success.
• Offering an environment that
promotes ‘living together ‘and
fraternity from nursery to final year
classes (senior year).
• Training based on French programs
and exams. The school responds to
the wishes of families to enrich the
culture of their children, the culture
of others.
• An initiation to the principles of
citizenship reinforced throughout the
educational background to allow
students to become free and
responsible citizens.
• Offering education that relies on a
teaching body and educational teams,
with proven academic skills working
in harmony for the well-being of
students.
• Promoting a project that finds its
place in Qatar's ambition to establish
‘an economy based on knowledge
and education’. The Voltaire project
contributes to strengthening the
28 JANUARY | 2021
2021

31. The school also organizes meetings
and interactions with French-speaking,
Arabic-speaking or English-speaking
authors, free readings, production of
texts, meetings with local artists and
scenarios (book illustration
workshops), French artists (artistic
creation and theatrical expression
workshops).
The school is also focusing on
introducing few other activities, such
as temporary exhibitions, on a specific
theme. For instance, on the occasion of
Qatar National Day, the school aims to
promote the language and culture of
Qatar.
Similarly it also plans on exhibiting
books belonging to French-speaking
literature, during the Semaine de la
Francophonie or exhibiting student’s
work resulting from correspondence
with authors of French children's
literature. Through these activities the
school is aiming to familiarize both the
culture, and literature of both France
and Qatar.
Gateway to a World of
Opportunities
Franco-Qatarien Lycée Voltaire
believes in quality learning everyday
and it includes even after graduating
from the school. To ensure the same,
the school takes special care to present
studies and careers opportunities to its
students, who overwhelmingly choose
to continue their studies in Qatar or in
Anglo-Saxon universities in the fields
of science, law and economic studies.
The students of the schools are
introduced to the real-world and are
familiarized with the opportunities that
lay ahead of them. To ensure the same,
the school organizes industry visits,
Orientation meetings wherein students
interact with professionals or former
students who present their professional
backgrounds and their studies.
It is the school’s aim is to give students
the most concrete possible idea of any
trade or professional sector. Thus the
school trains students on ‘Personal
Statement’ , an essential tool for British
file, which can also be used as a basis
for the development of the cover letter
on Parcoursup or essays for Northern-
American universities.
The monitoring and consistency of all
these actions at secondary school
(middle school) level, and high school
level is done adhering to the
requirements recommended by
AEFE(Agency for French Education
Board).
The Lycée Voltaire is also a UCAS
(The Universities and College
Admission Service; a UK based
organization) approved centre. Thus it
guides students for their further studies
adhering to the guidelines
recommended by UCAS. The student
of the school are also encouraged and
are prepared for language tests such as
IELTS, and admission tests for Anglo-
Saxon universities such as BMAT,
SAT, and ACT.
It is thus safe to say that the Franco-
Qatarien Lycée Voltaire encourages the
students to become the person they are
meant to be by tapping into their
greatness and talent while setting the
stage for a life.
“WE AT FRANCO-
QATARIEN LYCÉE
VOLTAIRE, AIM TO
PROVIDE A TOP-TIER
ACADEMIC
EXPERIENCE WITH A
CULTURAL
WORLDVIEW”
29
JANUARY | 2021

34. QATAR ACADEMY FOR SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY
Empowering Innovators and Thinkers of The Future
Qatar has come a long way from
being a small Arab state with
very limited options for higher
learning to a state where anything, in
terms of education, is possible.
Students today can choose from a
multitude of universities catering to all
the modes and curriculums of
education that one can wish to study.
Schools boast of facilities that could
outmatch any university in the world,
to programme-specific institutions that
are competitive even on the global
stage.
With an abundance of resources and a
profusion of educational opportunities,
Qatar promises the unique opportunity
of making dreams come true. A good
example of an institution that has
played a major role in enriching the
lives of students is Qatar Academy
for Science and Technology (QAST).
QAST is a high school designed to
develop Qatar’s next generation of
science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics (STEM fields) innovators.
QAST provides co-ed experience for
its students, accepting students from
across Qatar who has a passion for
science and technology and a desire to
access the best universities and STEM-
related careers.
To give our readers a window into this
quaint educational institution, we
conducted an interview with the
college.
Qatar Academy for Science and
Technology empowers students to
become innovators who master the
knowledge and skills required to create
solutions for challenges that face Qatar
and the world.
So, without further ado, let us dive
right into the story and relish the
knowledge we are about to receive.
Share the special initiatives taken at
the institute to ignite the students’
minds to study diversified subjects.
QAST Team: At QAST, we have
developed our own brand of high
quality project-based learning, CRISP
(Challenge - Research - Investigate –
Synthesise – Prototype). Specific
curriculum time is devoted each week
in all grades to this approach, where
32 JANUARY | 2021

35. 33
JANUARY | 2021

36. growing and developing nation. It is a
first in the region, moving from
didactic teaching approaches to a
student-centred discovery approach.
Through the use of clear standards
st
(AERO, NGSS, ISTE and 21 Century
Skills), students are clear on
expectations and what they need to do
to improve, growth is measured, and
academic rigour is maintained.
Student choice and voice is central to
our approach. It is the students who
propose and develop their own
solutions to the set challenges with no
expectation of the format or content of
their final product. Assessments are
made on their level of mastery of
standards, not on how well they
produce a required piece of specified
work. This allows students to show
mastery in multiple ways from
designing and building prototypes,
presenting their knowledge and
solutions to creating videos and
websites.
At a recent lecture by the Deputy
Executive Secretary of the United
Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC), Ovais
Sarmad, challenged QAST students to
propose their solutions to key climate
change-related issues and discuss their
thinking on what can be done to
influence positive global change. One
student commented: “I’m really proud
to have an opportunity like this, it’s a
once in a lifetime experience and a
huge deal to be educated about this
topic at this level”.
How do you maintain student
diversity in the campus and
encourage international students to
be a part of the school?
QAST Team: QAST operates within
the Qatar Foundation, which is home
to over 90 different nationalities
represented by the students, faculty,
and staff. Our community is uniquely
integrated into an array of entities and
centres that serve regularly, interact
with the surrounding entities to
enhance their learning experience and
give them a sense of the real world.
We are the only school in Qatar to offer
both A and AP level qualifications, and
the only STEM specialist school in
Qatar to offer A levels. This provides
international students with the vehicle
they need to go on to study at their
university of choice anywhere in the
world.
Please tell us about the annual events
and extra-curricular activities held
at the campus to motivate students.
QAST Team: We continually look to
take our learning beyond the
classroom, this has included taking a
leading role in Doha Learning Days
we work with external experts to create
a real-world driving question that
challenges our students to find their
own solutions.
Students are supported with visits to
and from experts, field trips, skill-
focused lessons, and time to research
and develop their solutions, before
presenting them to the experts that set
the original problem.
Assessments are based on the students’
mastery of standards, including soft
skills critical to their futures, rather
than their ability to create a specific
end-product. This gives them the
choice, ownership and a true
understanding of the skills and
knowledge needed to complete
projects. Projects last for eight weeks
and include water security, food
security, health, and transport.
In the first year of the initiative,
students work on solutions for a local
market, the country’s inaugural tram
project, the region’s largest
desalination plant, and on solutions to
antibiotic resistance. In each project,
students are required to lead, work as
part of a team, and innovate as they
develop their own solutions.
Built on constructionist research and
taking best practices from around the
world, this initiative has been
developed to meet the needs of a fast-
34 JANUARY | 2021
2021

37. where our students led teaching
sessions for younger students, spoke
publicly on female empowerment, and
participated in a first-of-its-kind
behavioural science curriculum
developed with the
Behavior4Development (B4D) team.
Whilst our CRISP projects are in-built
into the curriculum, these are also
specifically designed to enthuse and
motivate the students to engage in their
learning through numerous real-world
challenges, large and small.
QAST students are encouraged to take
part in the many competitions with
their peers, including Q-STEAM,
robotics competitions, and the World
Maths Challenge (WMC) in Korea.
Additionally, opportunities to lead are
provided through the Eco-Schools
Council and the Duke of Edinburgh
Award.
What kind of financial aid and
scholarship do you provide to the
students?
QAST Team: The Select Education
Committee of Qatar enables Qatari
families to use academic vouchers
towards our fees. In addition, thanks to
our membership of the Qatar
Foundation, financial support is offered
to students who have been accepted
into the QAST program whose families
have experienced a financial shortfall
or reverse of fortune. This process is
handled independently, between Qatar
Foundation and the applicants.
What are the diversified career
opportunities students get after
passing out from the school?
QAST Team: QAST was established
by Qatar Foundation to offer a unique
solution for students in Qatar looking
to access some of the world’s leading
universities or prepare for leading
careers within science and technology.
The application of science and
engineering knowledge and skills is
widespread across an increasingly
technologically sophisticated global
economy and not limited to jobs
classified in science and engineering.
STEM graduates are versatile and can
apply their knowledge and skills to a
variety of STEM and non-STEM
occupations.
The QAST curriculum has been
created in consultation with leading
universities to ensure our students are
nurtured to use their knowledge and
skills to innovate, create and build real-
world solutions to real-world
problems, whatever they may be.
Combined with leadership
opportunities, our approach offers
students a unique opportunity for
success on the global stage.
We have full time career guidance
counselor for our students to help them
choose the right academic path. To
support this process, we invest in
CIALFO to provide a rich database of
colleges all over the world with
financial aid data, course information,
essay prompts, and deadlines for
schools across the world.
“STUDENT CHOICE AND
VOICE IS CENTRAL TO OUR
APPROACH. IT IS THE STUDENTS
WHO PROPOSE AND DEVELOP
THEIR OWN SOLUTIONS TO THE
SET CHALLENGES WITH NO
EXPECTATION OF THE FORMAT
OR CONTENT OF THEIR FINAL
PRODUCT”
35
JANUARY | 2021