Overview of Education System
As of 2016, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (formerly the Supreme Education Council) has overseen Qatari schools.
The State provides every Qatari child with free education from kindergarten through university, including textbooks, stationery, transportation, and sports kits and gear for all students. The state also offers financial incentives to Qatari students and organizes religious and cultural events and competitions.
In addition to a number of private schools, Qatar has schools for various Arab communities (e.g., Tunisian, Lebanese, Jordanian, Sudanese) as well as non-Arab communities (e.g., Indian, American, French, German). The State of Qatar supports the establishment of various types of private educational institutions and provides continuous legal and supervisory support.1,2
The education system in Qatar consists of three stages: primary (six years), preparatory (three years), and secondary (three years). Education is compulsory through the preparatory level.
The Ministry of Education and Higher Education is the main decision maker, and continues to implement its educational tasks and responsibilities through departments such as Educational Supervision, following up and monitoring curriculum and learning resources, and supervising government schools and teacher affairs, student affairs, and early years education.
The Ministry of Education and Higher Education is responsible for the development of educational plans, policies, strategies, and research. The Ministry also undertakes the training and development of all Ministry staff and employees, to provide an integrated system of educational services toward achieving Qatar Vision 2030. This Vision focuses on the preparation of an advanced society, able to achieve sustainable development to provide prosperity for all its citizens by 2030.