Doha, December 14 (QNA) - HE Minister of Education and Higher Education Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater opened Sunday the Bunyan Student Center, which is concerned with the care, empowerment and integrated development of young people based on spiritual, intellectual, physical, social and creative aspects.

The opening ceremony, held at the Granada Preparatory School for Girls, was attended by a number of senior officials from the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOEHE), along with students, teachers, preachers, media professionals and social media influencers.

Following the opening, Her Excellency toured the center, where she was briefed on the educational, training, and sports activities it offers. She listened to a detailed explanation of its various programs, praising the students' performance and their enthusiasm and desire to learn, and appreciating their interest in the center and the message of its programs.

According to its vision, the Bunyan Student Center aims to build a balanced and conscious generation that thrives on its values ​​and skills and contributes to the advancement of its society, while its mission is to develop a generation that is integrated spiritually, intellectually, culturally and healthily, equipped with life skills, and belonging to a supportive society based on values.

The center works in several fields, including the educational field to instill values ​​and build morals, the academic field to develop knowledge and skills, the sports field to promote health and activity, the cultural field to build an authentic Islamic and Arab identity, in addition to the field of life skills in an applied manner, in preparation for life and the future.

In her keynote address during the opening ceremony, Consultant at the Office of HE the Minister of Education and Higher Education Sozan Zaghmout emphasized that the idea for the center came after careful consideration of the reality of boys and girls in a world full of challenges, foremost among them the excessive use of technology. She indicated that excessive use of technology, despite its benefits, may weaken the connection to real life, especially building direct social relationships, and affect knowledge acquired through practice and experience.

She added that the Bunyan Center represents a supportive system that accompanies young people through their various stages with integrated programs that develop them spiritually, intellectually, culturally and healthily, provide them with life skills, and strengthen their belonging to values, so that they find a safe environment and good company that helps them to grow and contribute to the advancement of their society.

She also addressed the center's work mechanism and programs, noting the launch of its first program entitled: "I am seven and I will pray," stressing the importance of prayer as the pillar of religion and the starting point in building a person, by instilling the love of prayer in the hearts of children and strengthening their connection with Allah.

In its first day, the Bunyan Center recorded the participation of more than 500 male and female students, who were introduced to the "I am seven and I will pray" program during two periods, morning and evening, in both Arabic and English.

The program targets girls and boys aged 7 to 8 years, where students went through seven educational and recreational stations, including: "prayer is a gift," "purity is light," "Al Fatiha is a key," "prayer is a connection," "come to success," "the strong believer," and "my prayer mat."

The activities included reciting verses from the Quran, explaining how to perform ablution and prayer, introducing students to the call to prayer and the meanings of its words, reciting the supplications after prayer, in addition to performing the prayer in congregation, providing each student with a prayer mat decorated with a picture of the Kaaba and with his name written on it, as well as interactive sports activities.

The opening ceremony program also included student dialogues, and the presentation of an introductory film explaining the center's vision, mission, goals and areas of work, and concluded with the students performing the prayer together in application of what they had learned. (QNA)