Qatar backs new initiative to amplify teachers' voice during UNESCO seminar

The State of Qatar has concluded its participation in an international UNESCO seminar in Paris with a push for educators to have a stronger voice in shaping global education policy, as technology rapidly reshapes classrooms. Representatives from the Ministry of Education and Higher Education were among the attendees at the two-day meeting organized by the International Forum of Inclusion Practitioners.

A significant outcome was the signing of an agreement to establish the Global Education Group, an international platform aimed at giving teachers, school leaders, and education institutions a more structured role in global education discussions. Dr Rania Yousri Mohammed, acting director of the Ministry's Schools Licensing Department, welcomed the creation of the group, stating that it would provide an opportunity for Qatar's experience and the practical voice of education practitioners to be heard on the global stage.

The seminar explored various topics, including AI in education, inclusive education, vocational training, and cooperation among educators and policymakers. Dr Mohammed emphasized that the group's success should be measured by its ability to translate the experience and concerns of practitioners into actionable policies and measurable results, rather than solely by the number of meetings or participants it attracts.

Qatar, she pointed out, could contribute in areas such as educational innovation, empowering schools and teachers, public-private partnerships, inclusive education, and linking education to national development. The country also highlighted its social responsibility projects, such as providing over 17,000 free or subsidized school places, as examples of how education policy can have a direct social impact.

The discussions in Paris also focused on the use of artificial intelligence in education, with participants considering ways to integrate technology without losing the human element that is central to learning. Dr Mohammed stressed that the aim should be to make education "better and more human" through AI, rather than allowing technology to make it less human.