Her Excellency Al Nuaimi addresses protecting youth's national identity at QF talk

Her Excellency Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi, Minister of Education and Higher Education emphasized protecting the national identity of Qatar's young people from cultural dissolution in this age of information, at Qatar Foundation's Education City Speaker Series Bel Arabi.

The event was held in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education where Her Excellency Al Nuaimi spoke on the transformation of education and how Qatar's e-learning strategy was built to elevate students' digital skills and stimulate their curiosity in modern methods of learning.

During the event, Her Excellency also announced the My Skills, My Future initiative which is aimed at supporting students to develop their communication and technological skills through education camps, curricula, and hands-on learning that will enable the students to meet challenges in the real world. The initiative is still in its planning stage and is said to be one of the 13 initiatives that are a part of the strategic plan of education by the Ministry. These plans will be outlining the process of shaping the nation's education roadmap for the next eight years.

Furthermore, Her Excellency Al Nuaimi told the audience: “Education is a great responsibility that rests on everyone’s shoulders – let’s work together to keep the torch of learning glowing and make Qatar a beacon of science, knowledge, and peace in the world.”

Her Excellency Al Nuaimi further added: “It is imperative for us to have policies and frameworks in place to protect our young people and their national identity from cultural dissolution amid the unprecedented flow of information that comes to them across all communication channels.

“Our national and local identity and our culture – inspired by our religion, our customs and traditions, and our Arabic language – is the foundation of this. It is at the core of building the Qatari personality, which is rooted in our values while at the same time being open to the world.”

It was further emphasized that educating children is no longer confined to gaining knowledge and teaching sciences but, human skills are an equal part in making sure that children and young people gain the maximum out of the educational system.

To watch the session in English: https://t.co/cCHccoVo9P

— Qatar Foundation (@QF) September 5, 2022

“That is why we have focused on developing our students’ 21st Century skills, encouraging them to think in a critical way which will help them transition smoothly to higher education, and then to be competitive in the regional and international labor market while being aware of the needs of this market.”

Her Excellency told the audience how they're focusing on teachers to be role models who will inspire and empower their students, ultimately helping the nation achieve its direction for education where they can seek lifelong learning provided by education, flexibility, curiosity, passion, and creativity. Further into the conversation, Her Excellency Al Nuaimi explained how the views of both teachers and students have been kept in mind when shaping Qatar's e-learning strategy, to try to build something where students feel like they have the space and creativity to grow.

The COVID-19 pandemic, Her Excellency Al Nuaimi said, has cemented a “global belief in the need to reimagine education systems, today and tomorrow”, as she said: “Transformation in education is now a reality, and we need to adopt the idea of reimagining education and develop new visions, perceptions, and directions.”
Her Excellency Al Nuaimi said that talks between education stakeholders in Qatar, along with UNESCO and UNICEF, have identified nurturing national and cultural identity, and the Arabic language; digital transformation in education; support for teachers to enhance the quality of education; and development of future skills through higher education as key topics.

“Education is a humanitarian and social process,” she said. “Its primary goal is to nurture active and good human beings who believe in their role in building their society and their nation, and in contributing to spreading goodness, justice, and beauty in this world.”

Reflecting Qatar Foundation’s commitment to accessibility and inclusivity, the Education City Speaker Series Bel Arabi event with Her Excellency Al Nuaimi was held with Arabic sign language being available.

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Source: Qatar Foundation