Public Eduction Sector

Every Qatari citizen has the right to a public education that is compulsory and free. The number of public schools exceeded 207 plus 68 kindergartens in 2019/2020, serving more than 124,600 Qatari and non-Qatari students.

All public schools in Qatar are committed to teaching basic and integrated curricula -- mathematics and science, Arabic and English languages, Qatari history and Islamic education.

Qatar also offers specialized programs and curricula, such as science, technology and business to name a few. The public sector also provides a variety of specialized educational services for students with special needs as well as gifted and talented students. In addition, Qatar has specialized schools for those with special needs, those with specialized talent and those who are interested in a specialized focus and curriculum. Specialized schools include Qatar Technical School; Qatar Banking Studies and Business Administration Studies School for Boys; Religious Institute Preparatory Secondary School for Boys; Qatar Banking Studies & Business Administration School for Girls; and Qatar School of Science and Technology for Boys, a secondary school. All these schools qualify students to move to various higher education options and to the job market after graduation.

Public School Stages
Students spend 12 years in public school, divided into several stages. After going through the pre-school or kindergarten stage students move to the primary stage that lasts 6 years. The primary stage includes co-educational schools, boys’ schools and girls’ schools. Second is the preparatory stage that lasts from seventh grade to ninth grade. The student then moves to the secondary stage​ from the tenth grade to the twelfth grade.

At the secondary school level, students can choose public schools with general education or specialized schools with a range of options that suit the student's interests and academic priorities, such as science and technology and banking, to name a few.

Comprehensive Approach
Research shows how important early education is for future success. The Ministry has focused in particular on early childhood education - pre-school through second grade. This comprehensive approach focuses on ethics, values, and social and academic behavior to develop well-rounded individuals. The Ministry employs national, Arab, and international staff to ensure the quality of teaching and learning.

The Ministry is working to recruit the best educational and administrative staff for the public schools and provides various training and development programs for each specialty in addition to providing professional licenses to teachers. The Ministry also pays great attention to creating advanced and modern means of communication between the various components of the educational community and the parents, such as the Learning Management System (LMS).​​

General Educational Program

The Ministry has created an adult educational program for students who do not meet the mandatory requirements of education (students above 18 years or who completed the preparatory stage), as well as those who were dismissed from daytime education classes because of marriage or repetitive failure, among others. This education program aims to help students continue their learning, regardless of whether they are employed or not.

There are two approved types of curricula used for adult education. The first curriculum belongs to the daytime adult education from Grade 5 to Grade 12, while the second is for the literacy classes.
The Ministry offers a set of privileges for adult education students, including special education services for students with disabilities.

Parallel Educational Track
The parallel educational track uses a customized program that help students who are unable to complete their secondary studies. In this track, reduced curriculum is taught to students in grades 10, 11 and 12 against a set of standards that ensure a basic level of knowledge and skills in all subjects. In grade 11 and grade 12, however, only one educational track is used (tracks included in public education does not apply).

Subjects Taught in Each Grade:

• Grade 10:
  Islamic, Arabic, English, mathematics, public science, social studies, computer and information technology
• Grade 11:
  Islamic, Arabic, English, mathematics, public science, history, geography, computer, and information technology
• Grade 12:
  Islamic, Arabic, English, mathematics, public science, history, geography, computer, and information technology

Certificate Awarded:
Students who successfully complete the adult education grade 12 are awarded "Grade 12 Completion Certificate." This is equivalent to the high school diploma in terms of the entitlement to employment and job promotions only. The certificate, however, does not make students eligible to proceed with the university education either locally or abroad.

To explore the list of assigned schools,please click here, you can also access the frequently asked questions page to learn more about the new parallel track, including registration requirements, and necessary documents and evaluation policy.

Special Needs and Gifted Students

The Ministry of Education and Higher Education provides educational programs for students with special needs and gifted students, under the supervision of the Special Needs Education and Gifted Care Department.

These programs are developed to provide educational opportunities that meet the individual needs and capabilities of each student. They also motivate students to contribute effectively to society. These programs are based on educational and psychological assessments to determine the suitable school and best educational services.

Students with special needs

Students with special needs are generally defined as students with learning, physical, or developmental disabilities and students with behavioral, emotional and communications disorders.

Students with special needs are either enrolled within their public schools or in specialized schools, depending on the services needed and the severity of the disability.

Within the regular local school setting, public schools provide services that support students' needs through remedial plans. They also provide arrangements and facilities for evaluation, school environment or classroom activities.

Local public schools provide integration services for students with autism and intellectual disabilities. These schools are equipped with resource rooms, programs, services and specialists that serve students and enhance their academic and independence capabilities, each according to the goals stated in their individual plan.

Specialized schools provide intensive services for students with special needs and offer an integrated specialized team approach. These schools include:

• Al-Hidaya Schools for students with intellectual disabilities and students with autism, offering integrated services that are provided through a multidisciplinary team
• Schools for the deaf and hearing impaired that are designed to serve students with hearing impairments, provide them with appropriate educational services and help them gain the skills and knowledge to achieve academically
  

Individualized Study Plans

There are educational programs provided for special needs students that are determined through individual educational plans in the context of their local school. One of these programs adapts the curricula according to the educational goals specified in the individual educational plan for the student. This is offered for students with intellectual disabilities, autism disorders or students with disabilities accompanied with decrease in cognitive abilities. The educational and support services are provided to the students in the resource rooms.

A second program provides the general curriculum approved by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education without any change or modification to students who have various kinds of learning difficulties. These include academic delay, students with minor and moderate hearing impairment and students with cochlear implants. They also include students with visual impairment and cerebral palsy. The general curriculum is offered in the classroom and in resource rooms in all public schools.

Gifted Students Support

In order to meet the needs of gifted students, the Ministry is establishing a framework to identify, support and nurture talents at the different educational stages. This framework includes discovering and preparing developmental plans for gifted students, monitoring their development and ensuring their continuity as they progress through their education. It also includes providing special programs based on best practices, tools, and methods of evaluation and identification of talent and abilities as well as helping teachers and parents discover and support gifted students.

Exam Schedules

All exam schedules can be found below:

Click here​

Calendar For School Academic Year ​2021-2022

To view the Academic Calender for Public Schools for the year 2022-2023 click here​.