CNA-Q celebrates World Teachers' Day with their faculty

• In collaboration with UNESCO Regional Office in Doha and Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture & Science and Ministry of Education and Higher Education

Doha - College of the North Atlantic – Qatar (CNA-Q) in collaboration with the Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture & Science has celebrated World Teachers’ Day during a hybrid conference focusing on Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education as well as Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Qatar. The ceremony held at CNA-Q was attended by Dr. Anna Paolini, Director of UNESCO Regional Office in Doha and UNESCO Representative in the Arab States of the Gulf and Yemen; Dr. Hamda Al-Sulaiti, Secretary General of the Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture & Science, Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOEHE); Dr. Salem Al-Naemi, CNA-Q’s President; Mr. Ahmed Jusaimani, Director of Teachers Affairs at MOEHE representing Ms. Fawzia Al-Khater Assistant Undersecretary for Educational Affairs MOEHE, alongside the College faculty members and more than 100 teachers from TVET and STEM schools across Qatar.

The conference aimed at providing teachers with valuable information on applied teaching and learning, in addition to highlighting the vital role of STEM and TVET in skills development and Nation-building. Commenting on the event Dr. Hamda Al-Sulaiti Secretary General of the Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture & Science said that World Teachers’ Day held annually on 5 October commemorates the anniversary of the adoption of the ILO/UNESCO recommendation concerning the status of teachers. It is an occasion to recognize teachers and the efforts they put into preparing generations who lead the country’s development. She mentioned that: “a teacher is a role model that we value and respect; today we thank them for their passion and unconditional giving that shaped our students year after year”. She praised the strategy that the State of Qatar adopted during COVID-19, especially that the technological and communication infrastructure has been put in place years before the start of the pandemic, in addition to the efforts that have been deployed by the Government and MOEHE to train the teachers on the latest information technology and the right way to use it in pedagogical practices. Dr. Sulaiti added: “The Education Strategy 2018 – 2022 and the current MOEHE Strategy 2021-2022 include many programs that invest in teachers and provide them with the knowledge and the technical know-how of using digital platforms for teaching and learning in addition to measuring performance and evaluating the process.” Dr. Hamda Al-Sulaiti Secretary General of the Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture & Science concluded by saluting all teachers for their great role in shaping rooted modern citizens with a global mindset. She also thanked Dr. Salem Al-Naemi, President of CNA-Q and all those who worked on organizing this special event including teachers and UNESCO associated schools.

Dr. Salem Al-Naemi discussed the efforts that the College is deploying to raise awareness about TVET as a driving force in an ever-evolving economy, he said: “Investing in TVET is very important for the socio-economic development of our country. TVET is a necessity and will generate a strong workforce that can easily accompany any technological progress and the rapid industrialisation. CNA-Q offers more than 50 programs and has more than 150 state-of-the-art workshops and labs to help develop such a workforce. We also build many partnerships with industrial companies and we work through our Applied Research and Innovation Office to strengthen Technical and Vocational learning, policy and practice. The Office embodies as well UNESCO-UNEVOC center, dedicated to advancing Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Qatar. We would like to thank MOEHE and UNESCO for their trust in our educational institution. Furthermore, we wish all participants a Happy World Teachers’ Day and we promise them to keep our efforts going and work towards developing their skills and promoting TVET as an educational solution for the modern world challenges.”

The event saw the participation of many researchers and scholars from CNA-Q including Prof. Rachid Benlamri, Vice President Academic Affairs; Prof. Michael Phillips, Academic Manager - Applied Research & Innovation; Dr. Ziad Said. Professor at Applied Research and Innovation, Dr. Bradley Johnson Academic Manager- Applied and Experiential Learning and Dr. Awni Al-Otoom

Dean, School of Engineering Technology & Industrial Trades, who discussed many STEM/TVET education related topics such as: entrepreneurship and innovation, 21st century skills, experiential learning and the role of higher education institutions in supporting TVET Schools. During the conference, an intervention from Dr. Rani Mohammed Altoum, Vice Principal for Academic Affairs, Qatar School of Science and Technology for Boys, shed light on challenges of STEM/TVET education in the MENA region, and a testimonial from Mrs. Samira Noaman Al-Emadi from Al-Bayan Second Primary School, raised awareness about STEM/TVET teachers’ pedagogical practices. The celebration concluded with an appreciation and certificate distribution to teachers from all participating entities.  

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About College of the North Atlantic -Qatar

A national technical college offering certificates, diplomas and applied degrees in various fields, CNA-Q has over 30 programs in the fields of Engineering Technology and Industrial Trades, Business Management and Information Technology, Health Sciences, Continuous Education and development and more. The College is recognized for its student-centered learning and state-of-the-art training facilities. Since opening in 2002, CNA-Q graduated thousands of alumni who are proudly contributing to a knowledge-based economy and making the Qatar National Vision 2030 a reality. 

For more details contact:
Gisele Achkar, Communications Specialist
Marketing & Public Relations
Tel: +974 4495 2558
E: gisele.achkar@cna-qatar.edu.qa 

© Press Release 2021