Qatar backs Unesco initiative to amplify teachers’ voice

Qatar has expressed support for a Unesco initiative aimed at giving teachers and education practitioners a more influential role in shaping global education policy. During a recent two-day seminar in Paris, held in cooperation with the International Forum of Inclusion Practitioners, Qatar's Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) called for increased representation of educators in policy-making discussions.

The seminar brought together education professionals and policymakers to address a range of topics, including the use of AI in education, inclusive education, vocational skills, and the need for stronger international action to protect the right to education in conflict zones. Dr Rania Yousri Mohammed, the director of the MoEHE's Department of Private Schools and Kindergartens, welcomed the initiative as an important development in global education policymaking.

She emphasized the potential for the Global Education Group, set up under Unesco's supervision, to give a voice to education practitioners and bridge the gap between policymakers and those implementing policies on the ground.

Dr Mohammed outlined three priorities for the group: ensuring balanced representation of practitioners from diverse backgrounds, establishing a clear route for turning practitioner recommendations into policies and measurable results, and creating a follow-up mechanism to assess the impact of recommendations. Qatar's experience in areas such as educational innovation, public-private partnerships, inclusive education, and linking education with national development could contribute to the group's success.

She also highlighted Qatar's social responsibility initiatives, such as providing over 17,000 free or subsidised school places, as examples of how education policy can produce direct social impact.