Significant progress seen in Independent Schools

SENIOR Rand officials have termed the criticism of Independent Schools – a model they suggested to the government – as “unfortunate”.

They were fielding questions after a panel discussion on Rand Qatar Policy Institute (RQPI)’s research analysis efforts in Qatar and the region on Sunday evening, when members of the audience questioned the primary and secondary education reforms under way in the country.

Rand assisted Qatar from 2002 to 2005, when the country embarked on a reform of its primary and secondary education systems to tackle perceived deficits in the quality of education.

The reforms provide for a decentralised, ‘independent’ primary and secondary school system that operates alongside the country’s traditional schools.

“We presented the authorities with three different models after drawing on our experience of 35 years around the world. The Independent School model was chosen by HH the Emir himself,” said one of the panellists, Charles Goldman, who was speaking on education reform.

“This system is based on autonomy, accountability, variety and choice and has been designed after due consultations with the locals. It’s not something that Rand imposed,” Goldman said.

Independent Schools are publicly funded but independently operated and exist alongside current Ministry of Education (MoE) schools. All government-funded schools are expected to be ‘independent’ by 2012.

According to the official, significant progress has been witnessed.

The reform has four main features: Curriculum standards, a standards-based assessment system, a school evaluation and data management system and the development of schools that are publicly funded but have relative administrative autonomy from MoE or the Supreme Education Council.

“The teaching of English language also doesn’t undermine the local culture,” Goldman said while answering a question. “The model involves use of both Arabic and English and is quite essential for the multicultural society that Qatar is.”

According to the official, tests have shown that Independent Schools perform better than MoE schools in terms of students’ skills, critical reasoning, maths and science, and languages.

“The public criticism and debate is actually healthy and necessary and we welcome that. It is a difficult and most challenging reform that Qatar has undertaken. We continue to think that HH the Emir chose the best possible system,” Goldman added.

Other panellists included Keith Crane, who talked about human capital development, and Debra Knopman, who spoke on health and the environment.

Rand Corporation’s executive vice president Michael Rich moderated.

RQPI director Richard Darilek welcomed the audience.