DOHA: The Shura Council has held its regular weekly session at the Tamim bin Hamad Hallat the Council's headquarters, chaired by Speaker of the Council HE Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim.
During the session, the Council reviewed the request for a general discussion submitted by a number of the members, regarding 'the teacher and his impact on instilling the values of national identity'.
Within this framework, Al Ghanim pointed out that the State of Qatar, in accordance with the directives of its wise leadership, pays great attention to the younger generation, based on its commitment to promoting good behavior and preserving the national and cultural identity.
He pointed out what was stated in Article (22) of the Constitution, which confirmed that the State shall care for the young and protect them from causes of corruption and exploitation, and shall protect them from the evil of physical, mental and spiritual neglect, and shall provide them with the appropriate conditions to develop their talents in various fields, guided by sound upbringing.
The Speaker of the Shura Council stressed the pivotal role of the teacher in building the national character of the emerging generations, through instilling values and principles, and forming a role model to be emulated, indicating the importance of this topic to which the Shura Council pays great attention.
For their part, the Council members stressed that the teacher carries a noble message not only in education, but also in instilling the values of national identity.
They pointed out that with the increasing number of teachers recruited from diverse nationalities and cultures, challenges have emerged regarding the impact of these cultures and values on students, which requires strengthening awareness programmes to instill the identity of Qatari society in them.
During the discussions, the Shura Council members asked about the availability of qualification programmes provided by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education for teachers recruited from abroad, aiming to consolidate values and national identity, while taking into account the specificity of society and its religious and cultural heritage, stressing the need to evaluate the impact of these programmes, if they exist, and their effectiveness and the schools’ commitment to them, especially in private schools.
The members stressed the importance of these programmes including an introduction to the culture and identity of Qatari society, to ensure that the educational process is consistent with national trends.
During their discussion, the Council members touched on the importance of including in the agreements related to the delegation of recruited teachers clauses that oblige them to be aware of the culture of the community and respect its identity, stressing the need to review these agreements to ensure achieving a balance between preserving the national identity and benefiting from global competencies.
After discussions that were characterised by keenness to achieve a balance between cultural openness and preserving national identity, while emphasising the importance of the teacher’s role in promoting the values and culture of society, the Council decided to refer the request for general discussion to the Education, Culture, Sports and Media Affairs Committee to study it in detail, examine all aspects related to it, and submit its report on it to the Council.
The session continued, as the Council approved a draft law on the state emblem and referred it to the esteemed government, after reviewing what was stated in the report of the Internal and External Affairs Committee, and discussing its details by the members.
During the session, the Council also reviewed a report on the visit of the Qatari-Georgian Parliamentary Friendship Group in the Shura Council to the Georgian Parliament in September of last year, which came within the framework of strengthening bilateral relations between the two sides.
