Education in Qatar took its first steps by the end of the 19th century through what used to be known as "Katatib". In 1890, during the reign of Sheikh Qassem bin Mohammed bin Thani there were 10 of such Katatib.

The “Kuttab”, singular for Katatib, was a small pre-school institution in which pupils were taught reading, writing and Qur’an recitation. This system of education continued till the early years of the 20th century.

In 1913 the country witnessed the first serious attempt to set up a regular system of education. Opening of the Athariyya religious school was a major step in that direction.

This school, more modernistic than the Kuttab, remained open until 1938 when it closed down as its headmaster Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Aziz Al-Manaa moved to Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, the Katatib continued to operate as usual.

In 1947 the first school, with a defined comprehensive curriculum, was opened on the premises of the "Al Athariyaa School", and was named "Al-Islah Al-Hamadiya School”, after its founder, Sheikh Hamad bin Abdalla Al Thani. The School, whose students  were 154, lasted for two years only.

However, regular education as it is known today, started only in 1950 / 1951 when the “Qatar Elementary School” was opened. This was the first school to be opened at a dedicated premise incorporating four classes with 190 pupils.

Official curricula were introduced in 1952, and books were imported from some Arab countries.

More schools were then opened. In 1952 / 1953 the “Education Commission”, which assumed the role of the Ministry of Education, opened a second school in Al-Khor. 

The following year two more schools were opened at Al-Ruwais village in the North and in Doha. The same year the first girls’ elementary school was opened to replace the then existing four Kuttabs for girls.

First Education Department

In 1955 the Education Department was established to oversee education, and two years later it became the Ministry of Education with Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani as the first  Minister of Education.

By then the number of schools rose to 14 elementary and kindergarten schools, while the number of teachers reached 45 and the number of pupils exceeded 1000.

In 1958 it was decided to offer education to all male and female Qataris and expatriates of school age.

All kindergartens were turned into primary schools, thus raising the total number of elementary schools in the country to 22, two of which were for girls, in addition to a secondary school for boys and one industrial school.

In 1959 / 1960 the educational ladder was modified to incorporate three stages:

• Elementary (6 years)
• Preparatory (3 years)
• Secondary (3 years)

The secondary stage was divided into two streams of specialization: scientific and literary. In 1962 religious and trade education were incorporated in the general education system.

The first Teachers Training Institute was opened in 1967 to help overcome the shortage of qualified teachers.

The number of schools continued to increase, and in 1967 / 1968 the first commercial school was opened, while the first secondary school for girls was opened in 1969 / 1970 alongside a Teacher Training School for girls.

Qatar University and the Language Institute were opened in 1973. 

In 1978 "model schools" were introduced. Three such schools were opened.  In 1989 / 1990 a five-year plan for a nationwide model schooling system for all male pupils was formulated and their number continued to increase thereafter.

Compulsory schooling

Education is compulsory up to the preparatory (intermediate) level, and is free for all Qataris all the way to the university. Almost 80% of Qataris below 15 are enrolled in government schools.

In 2002 the total number of students stood at almost 75000 enrolled in 113 elementary schools (60 for boys and 53 for girls) and more than 105 preparatory and secondary schools.

The Ministry of Education worked hard over the years to improve the quality of education through the introduction of technological aids and opening specialized schools such as: Scientific Schools, Developed Schools, Cooperative Schools, Technical Schools, and Centers for gifted children. 

Qatar has a number of establishments catering to children and adults with special needs. In 1976 / 1977 two institutes were set up for those with speech and hearing impairment, and the mentally handicapped, one for boys and the other for girls.

Al Amal Institute for Boys was opened in 1981, and Al Amal Institute for Girls in 1982.

In 1984 the mentally handicapped were separated from those with speech and hearing impairment.

Thus two institutions for boys and two more for girls were established: the Mental Education, and Auditory Education. The specialized “An-Noor” institute for the blind was opened in 1998 / 1999. 

Unceasing development

As IT literacy has become an addition to the three basic 'R's' of reading, writing and arithmetic, IT courses were integrated in the 1st secondary grade on a trial program in 1990.

Four years later a decision was taken to have IT literacy as an educational means to all schools. By 1998 elementary schools had been included in the program.

The government has paid due attention to Qatarizing the educational sector. At present 76.6  % of teachers and administrators in this sector are Qataris; 92.5 % of the female cadres in the field of education are Qataris as well. 

Educational policy

Qatar was among the first GCC countries to adopt a well defined educational policy: a visionary document drawn up as a blueprint to regulate the turnout of the general education system.

This policy is based on intellectual, cultural, social and national philosophies, and hinges on established Arab and Islamic principles.

The aim is to raise a generation who maintains a balance between national and pan-Arab tenets on the one hand, and embraces other human cultures, and values of social justice, equality, liberty, human rights, and democracy, on the other.

Figures and achievements

The total number of students (males and females) in regular schools (elementary, preparatory and secondary stages) stands at  almost 70595 served by  more than 11425 teachers (males and females) and administrators. 

The total number of schools is 201, of them 102 are for boys and 99 for girls. The number of students in the elementary, preparatory and secondary stages is estimated at 38392, 18684 and 15180 respectively.

The numbers of students joining the industrial  and commercial schools are, respectively, 296 and 247.
 

Qataris abroad on scholarships, fellowships and assistantships studying for PhDs, boards, MA's, and BA's are 1105. About 700 elementary teachers (males and females) graduated from the Teacher Training Center.

Besides building 20 new schools and upgrading  21 existing ones, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has made substantial achievements over the last two years:

• Providing 17 elementary schools with PCs, and appointing specialized female teachers.
• Carrying out the Scholastic Assessment Program in  2000 which included 49 public and private schools of all stages. The Program covered 42 schools in 2001.      
• Establishing the Secondary School for Industrial Technologies in 2000 to graduate national skills in the technical specializations. The School takes in 125 new students every year.
• Carrying out the Developed Elementary Schools Project starting 2001 / 2002, with each school comprising 12 classes with a total of 120 students. Special developed curricula were designed accordingly for two streams: literary and scientific.
• Establishing the Scientific Secondary Schools in 1999 / 2000 starting with two schools, one for girls and another for boys, starting from the second secondary grade. About 120 students are enrolled in each school.
• Setting up the Qatari Center For Talented and Creative Students, the first of its kind in the GCC countries.

Future plans

• The MOE has plans for improving the quality of education of people with special needs. 

• Formulating a plan for study abroad on scholar-ships, as well as the "Academic Bridge" in which 150 students were enrolled in 2001 in collaboration with the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development.
• Developing curricula and school text books in the light of the unified curricula for GCC countries.
• Building 18 model schools for girls.

Illiteracy eradication

The Ministry of Education is fully in charge of illiteracy eradication and adult education programs. This dates back to 1954. Since 1966 there has been a steady rise in the number of those studying in evening classes.

A 5-year plan was launched in 1998 to eradicate illiteracy among Qataris aged between 10 and 45.

Students go through 2 levels each lasting one year: the 1st is up to the second primary grade while the 2nd is up to the fourth primary grade.

Special education

Education for children with special needs started in 1974 with the opening of a single classroom affiliated to a boy's primary school.

By 1980, the number of classes rose to 3 classes, supervised by 8 teachers. In 1981 Al Amal (hope) Institute for Boys was opened, to be followed by the opening of Al Amal Institute for Girls.

Students attending these schools receive Islamic education lessons to be good citizens and to help them grow physically, mentally, emotionally and socially.

 Such schools provide students with knowledge and necessary experiences suitable for their specific situations.      

Talents nurturing

To cater for talented, gifted and creative students, the MOE has set up the Center for the Talented and Gifted in 2001 to provide activities, programs and services which would help such students develop and refine their capabilities.

The Center aims at helping educational institutions in designing educational services and putting them into practice in order to serve gifted students. The Center also aims to carry out researches and academic and experimental studies on the concept of talent, creativity, talented students' needs and means of supporting their special needs.

Private Education

The MOE provides private schools with text books taught at MOE's schools, and supervises their educational activities, offers them free medical care, electricity and water. 

The total number of private educational institutes stood at 215 in 2000, including higher education academies, preschools, and the schools of the Arab and foreign communities.

There are 101 Arab schools, 14 foreign schools, and 44 preschools, besides kindergarten affiliated to foreign schools. Nearly 42,000 students were enrolled in the private educational institutions in 1998.

Qatar Foundation

Qatar Foundation For Education, Science and Community Service (QF) is a private non-profit organization, founded in 1995 on the personal initiative of His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani,  Emir of Qatar. 

The Foundation, whose board of directors is presided over by Her Highness Sheikha Mouza Bint Nasser Al-Misnad, wife of His Highness the Emir, works painstakingly to ensure the current and future generations full development through a series of varied and far-reaching programs in the fields of education, health and community development.

On 28 April 2003 Qatar Foundation and RAND Corporation signed an agreement to establish a Policy Institute, which will harness the research and analytic skills of hundreds of RAND experts in the United States and Europe to study some of the most important issues facing the Middle East.

Qatar Foundation has been undergoing positively calculated scientific development so that its Education City would soon become a unique academic center in terms of quality and academic diversity in the Middle East.

Qatar Foundation was founded in 1995 by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani to provide opportunities that will develop the potential of the people of Qatar. In that regard, their main project has been Education City, a US$300 million, eight million square meter (2,400 acre) cluster of learning and research facilities.

Aiming to establish Qatar as the premier education center of the Gulf, and the entire Middle East Education City was designed to provide Qatar with the trained manpower it needs to carry out its own development plans and generate revenues for the state by attracting students from all over the region.


Qatar Foundation projects and partners include:

Virginia Commonwealth School of the Arts in Qatar
Weill Cornell Medical College
Texas A&M University
Carnegie Mellon University of Qatar
Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar
The RAND-Qatar Policy Institute
Doha Debates, which are a monthly feature on BBC World
Al Jazeera Children's Channel (JCC)
Qatar Academy
The Learning Center
The Academic Bridge Program
Qatar Leadership Academy
Al Shaqab Stud
The Social Development Center
The Qatar Diabetes Association

Additional projects that are currently in the planning or construction phase include:
Qatar Science and Technology Park
A specialty teaching hospital for Carnegie Mellon
A school of communications and journalism
An Islamic studies center


Virginia Commonwealth School of the Arts in Qatar

VCU Qatar was established in 1997, and offers Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in Fashion Design, Graphic Design, and Interior Design.
www.qatar.vcu.edu
492 7238


Weill Cornell Medical College

Cornell's campus in Qatar was established in 2002, and offers a two-year pre-medical program and four-year medical program that together lead to a Cornell Medical Degree (M.D.).
www.qatar-med.cornell.edu
492 8500


Texas A&M University

The Qatar campus of Texas A&M was established in 2003, and offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Chemical, Electrical, Mechanical and Petroleum Engineering. Graduate programs are anticipated in the near future.
www.qatar.tamu.edu
492 7377


Carnegie Mellon University of Qatar

Carnegie Mellon opened its Qatar campus in 2004, and offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Business and Computer Science.
www.qatar.cmu.edu
492 8260


Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar

Georgetown, currently the newest university in Education City, opened its doors in Doha in September 2005. It offers the same Bachelor of Science degree in Foreign Service as its Washington, DC main campus. Its core liberal arts curriculum is grounded in Georgetown's Jesuit traditions of service and cross-cultural understanding and its mission of educating citizen leaders.
In January 2006, Georgetown inaugurated its library with 4,000 books, in addition to magazines, newspapers, and access to over 400 online databases. They have plans to expand the library to include 30,000 volumes in the coming years.
www.georgetown.edu/sfs/qatar
492 7673

Qatar Academy

Governed by the Qatar Foundation, the Qatar Academy (QA) was founded in 1996. It is a private, non-profit school for boys and girls of all nationalities.

Serving students from age 3 to 18 years, QA offers an international curriculum that incorporates the best of the British, American and Arabic systems.

Qatar Academy is presently a candidate for accreditation with the European Council of International schools (ECIS) and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).

The Qatar Academy currently offers courses up to the British General Certificate of Education (GCE) advanced level and (IGCSE). It will implement a Baccalaureate Program. Both programs are recognized as entry requirements by the world's top universities.

To keep abreast with the most up-to-date approaches in teaching, QA inaugurated BAE Systems program in January 2003. Thus the State of Qatar has joined the BAE Systems International Schools Network. 

Such scientific programs aim at consolidating awareness and recognition of technical know-how which can give an added value in teaching scientific disciplines.    

The Learning Center

The Learning Center is a private, non-profit organization established in 1996 by the Qatar Foundation for pupils with Learning Difficulties or Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), but who enjoy an average or above average aptitude.

The Center works hand in hand with over 30 schools in the country to provide a variety of services for all children. It also runs special weekly workshops for parents and teachers

 Primary and Secondary Schools

Al Jazeera Academy
Tel: 469 3777
Fax: 468 2555
Email info@aja.edu.qa
Website: www.aja.edu.qa
Address: P.O. Box 22250, Doha, Qatar

Al Maha English School
Tel: 469 9114
Address: P.O. Box 4219, Doha, Qatar

American School of Doha
Tel: 442 1377
Fax: 442 0885
Email: info@asd.edu.qa
Website :www.asd.edu.qa
Address: P.O. Box 22090, Doha, Qatar

Aspire (Academy for Sports Excellence)
Tel: 413 6000
Fax: 413 6060
Email: communications@aspire.qa
Website: www.aspire.qa
Address: P.O. Box 22287, Doha, Qatar

Birla Public School
Tel: 467 6701
467 6702
467 6703
Fax: 467 6101
Email: bpsdoha@qatar.net.qa
Website: www.bpsdoha.edu.qa
Address: P.O. Box 24686, Doha, Qatar

Bright Future Pakistani School
Tel: 466 3102
Fax: 466 3102
Email: sunrise@qatar.net.qa
Address: P.O. Box 8884, Doha, Qatar

Doha College Primary School
Tel: 468 4495
Fax: 468 7897
Email: enquiriesprimary@dohacollege.com
Website: www.dohacollege.com
Address: P.O. Box 5404, Doha, Qatar

Doha College Secondary School
Tel: 468 7379
Fax: 468 5720
Email: enquiries@dohacollege.com
Website: www.dohacollege.com
Address: P.O. Box 7506, Doha, Qatar

Doha English Speaking School
Tel: 487 0170
Fax: 487 5921
Email: dess@qatar.net.qa
Website: www.dess.org
Address: P.O. Box 7660, Doha, Qatar

Doha International School and Kindergarten
Tel: 436 0775
Address: P.O. Box 11195, Doha. Qatar

Doha Montessori British School
Tel: 469 1634
469 1635
Fax: 469 1633
Email: dmbs@qatar.net.qa
Website: www.dmbs.ik.org
Address: P.O. Box 6142, Doha, Qatar

French School
Tell: 483 5800
Fax: 483 5808
Email:lfdsecr@qatar.net.qa
Addres: P.O. Box 6110, Doha, Qatar

Global Academy International School
Tel: 465 2860
465 2823
Fax: 436 1841
Email: gai@pcsiglobal.com
Address: P.O. Box 23161, Doha, Qatar

Ideal Indian School
Tel: 468 4849
468 4929
468 5337
Fax: 468 2939
Website: www.idealschool.edu.qa
Address: P.O. Box 2836, Doha, Qatar

Iranian School for Girls
Tel: 467 5268
Address: P.O. Box 2298, Doha, Qatar

Japanese School
Tel: 468 4234
Address: P.O. Box 7177, Doha, Qatar

Jordanian School
Tel: 435 6004
Address: P.O. Box 20432, Doha, Qatar

Lebanese School
Tel: 493 4545
Fax: 493 4547
Email: lebanes_schl@qatar.net.qa
Address: P.O. Box 5856, Doha, Qatar

MES Indian School
Tel: 468 3344
Fax: 468 1816
Email: mesindia@qatar.net.qa
Website: www.mesqatar.org
Address: P.O. Box 3453, Doha, Qatar

Modern Indian School
Tel: 466 0366
Fax: 466 7117
Website: www.dpsmisdoha.com
Address: P.O. Box 14868, Doha, Qatar

Park House English School
Tel: 442 3343
Fax: 442 3343
Email: phes@qatar.net.qa
Website: www.parkhouseschool.com
Address: P.O. Box 22215, Doha, Qatar

Philippine International School Qatar
Tel: 482 1924
467 6347
Fax: 482 1923
Email: phil_is_edu@qatar.net.qa
Address: P.O. Box 9875, Doha, Qatar

Philippine School of Doha
Tel: 436 4148
Fax: 436 4150
Email: psdoha_qa@hotmail.com
Address: P.O. Box 19664, Doha, Qatar

Qafco Norwegian School
Tel: 477 1323
Fax: 477 0435
Email: norwschl@qatar.net.qa
Website: www.dnsqatar.com
Address: P.O. Box 50001, Mesaieed, Qatar

Qatar Academy
Tel: 482 6666
Fax: 480 2769
Email: qataracademy@qf.org.qa
Website: www.qataracademy.edu.qa
Address: P.O. Box 1129, Doha, Qatar

Qatar International School
Tel: 483 3456
Fax: 483 1096
Email: qis@qatar.net.qa
Website: www.qis.org
Address: P.O. Box 5697, Doha, Qatar

Summit Academy
Tel: 467 3304
Fax: 467 3307
Email: summitacademy@yahoo.com
Address: P.O. Box 695, Doha, Qatar

The International School of Choueifat - Doha, Qatar
Tel: 493 3110
493 3112
493 3113
Fax: 483 5874
Email: iscdoha@sabis.net
Website: www.iscdoha-sabis.net
Address: P.O. Box 22085, Doha, Qatar

The Learning Centre
Tel: 492 7888
Fax: 481 2409
Email: tlc@qf.org.qa
Website: www.tlc.edu.qa
Address: P.O. Box 6639, Doha, Qatar

The Cambridge School of Doha
Tel: 469 6590
469 0520
Fax: 469 9278
Email: cambridge@qatar.net.qa
Website: www.cambridgeschool.com.qa
Address: P.O. Box 22580, Doha, Qatar

The Cambridge International School for Girls
Tel: 467 1530
465 9106
Fax: 465 9093
Email: cisg@qatar.net.qa
Website: www.cisg.edu.qa
Address: P.O. Box 23018, Doha. Qatar

The English Modern School
Tel: 488 3806
Fax: 488 3819
Email: theems@qatar.net.qa

The Gulf English School
Tel: 487 3865
486 5367
487 3869
Fax: 486 1256
Email: gulfenglish@qatar.net.qa
Website: www.gulfenglishschool.com
Address: P.O. Box 2440, Doha, Qatar

Qatar University

Founded in 1973, Qatar University has established itself as a center of higher education in Qatar. The University's balance between constantly working to stay on top of development in education and technology, while at the same time maintaining Qatari traditions, makes it a popular choice for Qatari students.

The men's and the women's sections of the campus are adjacent to each other, both offering full facilities and services.
There are five colleges:
College of Education, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Sharia and Islamic Studies, College of Engineering, College of Law and College of Business and Economics.

Website: www.qu.edu.qa
Tel: 485 2222

College of the North Atlantic

The University of the North Atlantic-Qatar is the first international branch of the university based in Canada, Its Foundation is based on an agreement between the State of Qatar and the University of the North Atlantic. In September 2002 the college opened its doors to its first students, and the location has been moved to a permanent, purpose-built campus in 2005.

CNA-Q offers Canadian and international diplomas and certificate programs in a range of disciplines, such as Health Sciences, Information Technology, Engineering Technology and Business Studies.

CHN University for Professional Education

CHN University in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, offers 4-year programs for Bachelors Degrees in Hotel Management, Tourism, and Leisure Management at its Doha Campus.

CHN University is accredited by the European Foundation for Accreditation of Hotel Management Education

Leeds University

In January 2006, Sheikha Aisha bint Faleh bin Nasser al Thani announced that the British school of excellence Leeds University, will open in Doha in 2007, and that it will offer courses in Business Management and Accounting.

Leeds University represents just one of the many international universities that have been continually opening their doors in Qatar for more than a decade.

 Aspire

http://www.aspire.qa

One of the world's most advanced sports institutions and the first of its kind in the Middle East, Aspire is built around turning young sporting hopefuls into winners at the highest levels of international competition. Presently it has 92 students, 25 of whom are non-Qataris.
The Academy offers state-of-the-art and world-class educational and sporting installations and technologies; and comprises an integrated array of facilities either on the academic side including study halls and advanced sports science labs; or on the sporting side including training fields and courts, a physiotherapy and medical center, fitness halls and recreational facilities.

It has a spacious 290,000 square meter sports dome comprising a football training field, an international standard athletics track, an Olympic swimming and diving pool, a gymnastics hall, a sports games hall, contact sports mats, fencing strips and squash courts.

The Academy is composed of two main administrative units: the academic unit, which is concerned with developing the intellectual capacities of the students; and the sports unit, which adopts modern expertise and scientific techniques in physical training, talent development and nutrition to achieve international excellence in psychological preparedness and sports performance.

Higher Education