Doha, August 25 (QNA) - Director of the Schools and Student Affairs Department at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOEHE) Maryam Ali AlNesef Al Buainain, confirmed that all preparations have been completed for the start of the new 2026–2027 academic year next Sunday. Around 148,000 students will be welcomed across 282 public schools and 69 public kindergartens.

In an exclusive interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA) ahead of the new academic year, Al Buainain said that the Ministry, through its relevant departments, continued working throughout the summer break to complete comprehensive maintenance and prepare educational facilities, ensuring a safe and welcoming school environment for students from the first day of classes.

The plan to prepare for the new academic year was based on four key strategic pillars. The first focused on ensuring the smooth enrollment of students in public schools. Registration and transfer procedures continued throughout the summer through four registration centers, which received around 6,700 visitors, ensuring that students from kindergarten through Grade 12 would be enrolled in their schools by the start of the academic year, she said.

The second pillar involved launching a unified reference framework through the issuance and updating of a comprehensive package of guidelines and policies supporting school leadership and administrative work. It also included specialized guides on academic and career counseling, as well as psychological and social support, helping to standardize procedures and enhance the stability of the educational process, Al Buainain added.

The third pillar focused on early readiness for student programs and activities through the development of a unified central plan for school activities. The plan includes clear implementation, monitoring and documentation mechanisms, ensuring the launch of extracurricular activities and interactive programs from the first day of school, while integrating the promotion of national identity and values with meeting students’ needs, she noted.

The fourth pillar concerns strengthening administrative governance and on-site monitoring. School administrative records were electronically restructured on the Microsoft Teams platform into a unified file containing forms approved by most Ministry departments, with the aim of standardizing administrative practices and reducing paperwork for educational staff.

These efforts coincided with monitoring the readiness of school leadership teams, filling vacancies and carrying out staff transfers in coordination with the relevant authorities, as well as establishing nine evening centers for continuing education students, with registration scheduled to begin in early September, she added.

Regarding the readiness of public schools, the Director of the Schools and Students Affairs Department confirmed that field indicators were progressing according to plan, noting that education consultants were continuing their field visits to follow up on final preparations before the start of the academic year.

As part of efforts to keep pace with urban and population growth, she pointed to the opening of six new public schools equipped with the latest educational resources: Qatar Science and Technology Preparatory and Secondary School for Boys in Al Sakhama; Qatar Science and Technology Secondary School for Girls in Rawdat Al Hamama; Ain Khaled Secondary School for Boys; Doha Preparatory School for Girls; Al Thakhira Primary School for Boys; and Muaither Primary School for Girls.

Regarding services provided to the public, she explained that the registration process had undergone several improvements this year to enhance the user experience. These notably included the “Personal Profile” service, which allows parents to update their residential information electronically to facilitate school transfer procedures, as well as a new service for registering and transferring students with disabilities through the “Maaref” portal, a grade-level placement service, and updated guidelines.

These measures helped increase reliance on digital channels, with the Maaref portal receiving approximately 26,738 registration and transfer applications, she added.

Regarding the Ministry’s strategy to reduce class sizes, she said that students are assigned to schools according to criteria that take into account the geographical area of their residence and schools’ capacity. She noted that the Ministry addressed pressure on schools in densely populated areas by assigning a support team to respond to parents’ inquiries and provide guidance, as well as increasing the number of summer registration centers to accommodate applicants and complete procedures early.

Regarding the key lessons learned from the previous academic year, the Director of the Schools and Student Affairs Department at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education Maryam Ali AlNesef Al Buainain, affirmed that the Ministry adopts an approach based on measuring the tangible impact of educational initiatives and programs.

The focus is no longer limited to recording observations or counting implemented activities, but has expanded to evaluating the quality of educational outcomes and their direct impact on students. The guidelines and policies issued were developed in response to the needs of the education sector and to provide a unified reference framework that limits individual interpretations. Meanwhile, the digitization of administrative records was aimed at reducing documentation burdens and enhancing the efficiency of school operations, she noted.

The Ministry of Education and Higher Education has placed particular emphasis on enhancing teaching and leadership competencies and empowering school leaders to perform their roles, as well as providing a safe and supportive learning environment that promotes student well-being and developing the capabilities of administrative and counseling staff and activity specialists, she said.

The Ministry also issued the first edition of the Guidelines for Public School Principals as a reference framework defining their roles and responsibilities and providing a clear roadmap for school principals. It also issued the Administrative Staff Guidelines, which include job descriptions for various administrative and supervisory positions. These guidelines were developed based on feedback and observations from focus groups comprising a number of school principals working in the education field, ensuring greater alignment with the needs and requirements of school operations, she noted.

The Ministry was also committed to providing intensive support to new school leaders to help them quickly adapt and ensure operational stability. The educational consultants would continue providing on-site support at the start of the new academic year, she added.

Regarding student well-being, the Director of the Schools and Students Affairs Department affirmed that the Ministry attaches particular importance to students’ mental health and to providing a learning environment that supports their well-being through an integrated framework of educational policies governing school operations from kindergarten through Grade 12.

She said the framework includes the Student Behavior Management Policy, the Student Quality of Life Policy, the Programmes and Activities Policy, and the Student Life Protection Policy. Together, these policies seek to provide a safe and stimulating learning environment that safeguards students’ dignity and promotes their safety and development in partnership with parents.

As part of efforts to develop academic counseling, Al Buainain explained that the Ministry has worked to enhance the capabilities of academic counselors through specialized programmes implemented in cooperation with relevant partners and entities. These programmes aim to prepare students for university admission and early planning of their educational and career pathways, equip them with the skills needed to take standardized tests, increase the number of Qatari students joining government scholarship programmes, and guide Grade 10 students towards the science and technology tracks based on their abilities, interests and the country’s future needs.

These efforts have contributed to a marked increase in enrollment in the science and technology tracks over the past two years, with the percentage rising from 8 % in the 2020–2021 academic year to 10.4 % in 2025–2026, she noted.

Regarding school activities, she affirmed that the Ministry is working to enhance the capabilities of activity specialists through specialized training workshops and the exchange of best practices among schools. Support will also be tailored to each school based on assessment results and its actual needs.

She noted that these efforts are part of the Ministry’s drive to increase student participation in school activities, identify students’ talents and abilities, and provide an appropriate environment to nurture and develop them, thereby contributing to their holistic personal development.

Concluding her interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA), the Director of the Schools and Students Affairs Department affirmed that, during the new academic year, support would be tailored to each school based on its actual needs and the findings of field assessments. She stressed that monitoring and evaluation processes would begin in the first week of classes to ensure a strong and successful start to the new academic year. (QNA)