Doha, September 10 (QNA) - Assistant Director of the Department of School and Student Affairs at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education Fatima Yousuf Al Obaidli affirmed the pivotal role of teachers in the country's education system, considering the launch of the Student Behavior Management Policy and its regulatory guide a step toward standardizing practices within schools, clarifying roles and procedures, and strengthening the partnership among students, teachers, families, and schools, thereby contributing to a safe, disciplined, and stimulating learning environment.
In exclusive remarks to Qatar News Agency (QNA) on the sidelines of today's launch ceremony for the Programs and Activities Policy in government schools and kindergartens and the Student Behavior Management Policy in government schools and kindergartens, attended by HE Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al Nuaimi, Al Obaidli said that prohibiting punishments in the school environment did not mean tolerating unacceptable behavior or diminishing the teacher's role and authority. Rather, it formed part of an integrated student behavior management system aimed at addressing different behaviors through clear and structured educational methods in a manner that promotes discipline and safeguards the rights of all parties to the educational process.
She stressed that student safety, the status of teachers and the protection of the rights of all parties to the educational process were among the Ministry of Education and Higher Education's foremost priorities. She added that decisions and circulars issued by the Ministry were based on carefully considered educational and scientific principles and were subject to review and approval by the Ministry's competent and supervisory authorities, ensuring their clarity and proper implementation in the educational field.
She also highlighted that the regulatory guide for the Student Behavior Management Policy served as the approved reference that clearly and simply sets out the roles, responsibilities and procedures to be followed when dealing with any behavioral situation. These begin with the role of the teacher and school administration, extend to the role of social and psychological specialists, and conclude with the appropriate procedures for each case according to its type and severity, thereby ensuring clear mechanisms for addressing various behavioral situations within schools. She added that the guide also defined students' rights and responsibilities, clarified teachers' authority and responsibilities, and set out appropriate educational measures for addressing different behaviors in a manner that promotes school discipline, preserves the dignity of all parties and helps limit individual discretion in handling behavioral cases.
Al Obaidli affirmed that the objective of the policy was not punishment in itself, but rather to foster positive behavior among students and strengthen their values of responsibility and discipline, while providing teachers with the necessary support and enabling them to fulfill their educational mission within a clear and approved framework. She stressed that discipline was a shared responsibility, that protecting students did not conflict with preserving the status of teachers and supporting them, and that the common objective was to prepare responsible and aware students capable of becoming active partners in building the future of the State of Qatar.
The Assistant Director of the Schools and Students Affairs Department at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education told QNA that the Programs and Activities Policy aimed to provide a unified regulatory framework for planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating programs and activities, while defining the associated roles and responsibilities. This would ensure the provision of high-quality and safe programs and activities that take into account students' needs, interests and abilities, contribute to developing their personalities and skills, and reinforce their national identity and the values of citizenship, responsibility and community participation. She highlighted that the policy as a whole sought to strengthen integration between the educational process and school programs and activities, improve the quality of outcomes and make optimal use of available resources and partnerships in support of the Ministry's educational objectives.
Al Obaidli said the launch of the two policies reaffirmed the Ministry of Education and Higher Education's commitment to achieving integration among the academic, educational and behavioral aspects of schooling and to providing a clear institutional reference that supports schools and kindergartens in implementing approved practices, improves the efficiency of program and activity implementation, and strengthens the student behavior management system.
Concluding her exclusive remarks to QNA, Assistant Director of the Schools and Students Affairs Department at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education Fatima Yousuf Al Obaidli affirmed the Ministry's belief that building a safe and integrated educational environment depended on respecting all parties to the educational process and achieving a balance between protecting students, supporting teachers and empowering parents as active partners in the educational process, thereby ensuring a school environment based on trust, discipline and mutual respect. (QNA)