The Ministry of Education and Higher Education, represented by the Academic Guidance Section of the Department of Educational Guidance in the Education Affairs Sector, launched an initiative to encourage middle school students (8th and 9th grades) to enroll in scientific and technological disciplines, through the development of a professional academic guidance system that involves preparing various programs aimed at motivating and preparing students to join the targeted scientific disciplines. The pilot phase of the initiative is implemented on 6,000 male and female students in ten schools (five boys and five girls), under the supervision of the academic and vocational guidance section.

The initiative is carried out under the supervision of Assistant Undersecretary for Education Affairs Fawzia Al Khater, in cooperation and coordination with a group of partners, including universities and educational and professional institutions.

It was announced during an extended meeting recently held by the Ministry with the initiative's partners. Moza Al Mudahka, director of the Educational Guidance Department in the Educational Affairs Sector, who is responsible for the initiative, welcomed the partners, indicating its centrality in educating students about the importance of scientific and technological disciplines for meeting the needs of the labor market, thus achieving the goals and objectives of Qatar National Vision (QNV) 2030.

Al Mudahka stressed that the general framework of the national educational curriculum of the State of Qatar provided the basis for the development of multiple tracks for students in the secondary education stage, which meet the needs of all students, with different levels of abilities, and the diversity of their tendencies and interests. The updated education plan includes three tracks for students at the secondary level that meet the economic, social and cultural aspirations of the State of Qatar, as mentioned in QNV2030 and the National Development Plan.

Fawzia Al Malki, vice director of the academic and vocational guidance section, underlined the importance of the initiative in developing a professional academic guidance system for the preparatory stage to increase the number of students enrolled in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in public or private schools that follow the national curriculum.

Fadi Al Laham, the educational advisor at the academic and vocational guidance section, pointed out that the general objective of the initiative is to educate students about the importance of the scientific and technological tracks to meet the needs of the Qatari labor market and the country's need for the various branches of the scientific and technological disciplines, not only medicine and engineering. 

Dhaher Al Askar, an academic guidance specialist in the guidance section, confirmed that an integrated plan has been prepared for all middle school students included in the initiative, implemented by specialists from the academic and vocational guidance section and academic advisors in secondary and middle schools, to educate students and their parents about the importance of enrolling in scientific and technological tracks.

The initiative aims to develop a professional academic guidance system for the preparatory stage, to help the students discover their abilities, academic capabilities, preparations and professional tendencies, plan their educational path and professional future to achieve academic, personal and social compatibility, and raise awareness of scientific disciplines and technological professions, which increases employment and

localization rates in the work sectors as a result of activating principles of professional guidance and raising the efficiency of outputs.

For the success of the initiative, the academic and vocational guidance section will develop a policy for academic and vocational guidance in the preparatory stage to increase the number of students enrolled in the STEM disciplines.

A coordinator responsible for each school has been assigned to act as an academic advisor and a link between the section, partners and the school to fully coordinate the performance of this initiative and ensure its success.

The list of initiative partners included Qatar University, INJAZ Qatar Foundation, University Foundation College, Oryx University - Liverpool John Moores Qatar, Weill Cornell University, University of Calgary, Texas A&M University, University of Aberdeen, Hamad Medical Corporation, College of the North Atlantic, Qatar Career Development Center, QAFCO and the British Council. (QNA)