The award is given in nine categories: primary and preparatory students, high school students, university graduates, and holders of master's and doctoral degrees, in addition to the distinguished teacher award, distinguished school, and distinguished scientific research.
The growing interest and participation in the Education Excellence Day Award, launched by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in 2006 and under the patronage of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, confirms Qatar’s focus on the people as the basis for community development and in implementing Qatar National Vision 2030.
It also indicates that investing in Qataris through quality education and scientific excellence is a strategic choice for the advancement of the country in a conscious and distinguished society, armed with science and knowledge.
The award is one of the foundations of the educational system in Qatar, and represents one of the paths that promote excellence and creativity by adopting international standards, implementing quality programmes, and achieving the integration of individual and institutional efforts to improve the outcomes of the educational process in Qatar.
| (image) HE the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education Dr Ibrahim bin Saleh al-Nuaimi |
It also honours and celebrates the scientifically distinguished people of Qatar, encouraging individuals and educational institutions to develop themselves, promoting positive trends towards knowledge and scientific research, instilling a spirit of innovation among students, researchers and educational institutions, and fuelling the spirit of competition between individuals and educational institutions in scientific excellence, and directing individual and institutional energies towards scientific excellence in areas that serve the achievement of the State's development orientations.
Over the past 15 years, the award has contributed to making excellence a strategic goal and a well-established culture in the Qatari society, becoming an incubator environment for excellence in light of the wide educational options provided by the government for children at home and abroad.
Through national strategies and well-studied educational plans, Qatar aimed at building an educational system in line with the highest standards of global educational systems, with the adoption of the latest technologies and educational and research programmes in curricula, assessment and training.
Due to growing interest in the award, the number of distinguished people awarded during the past 15 years exceeded 800 individuals and institutions in all nine categories.
HE the Minister of Education and Higher Education Buthaina bint Ali al-Jabr al-Nuaimi said that His Highness the Amir's continuous support for the Education Excellence Day Award reflects the Amir's interest in the education system and its outcomes, and the role entrusted to it in preparing Qataris in a rapidly changing world.
She said that in celebration of the 15th edition of the Education Excellence Day Award, excellence has become a strategic goal in His Highness the Amir's policy and a societal culture, where Qatar has distinguished itself in education and other fields such as economy, trade, media, culture, sports, tourism, art and heritage, as well as in the field of diplomacy, conflict resolution, peace building and its sustainability at the regional and international levels, in addition to its distinction in the field of humanitarian and social work.
The award has become an essential part of human development efforts and initiatives in Qatar, and supporting the conviction that the best can be achieved through science and learning, as well as attention to scientists, distinguished and creative people in their various positions, especially in light of the considerable spending on education in Qatar, which is among the highest in the world, she added.
HE al-Nuaimi said that the Education Excellence Day Award ended its 15th edition with success.
It was able to reach every Qatari home, moving at steady and progressive steps towards achieving the vision and objectives of the leadership of His Highness the Amir.
In this regard, HE the Minister of Education said that this success is a result of the high quality of education, adding that the schools, universities and higher institutes of Qatar have been distinguished by many remarkable practices and high-level qualitative outputs, enabling these institutes to win international competitions and compete against the most prestigious international universities, and providing the labour market with distinguished competencies.
She said that Qatar will continue its journey of excellence by creating an enabling environment that embraces and encourages creativity, generates new ideas and visions, releases and develops human potential, as well as develop scientific research methods, mechanisms and techniques, and employ them in its societal context.
In a statement to the Qatar News Agency (QNA), HE the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education Dr Ibrahim bin Saleh al-Nuaimi said that His Highness the Amir's keenness to patronise the award ceremony and honour the winners emphasises the extent of his interest in science and the educational system in Qatar.
This support has added great importance to the award and given it sublime dimensions, connotations and meanings, which has been proved by the great demand, development and competition that the award is witnessing year after year, he added.
HE Dr al-Nuaimi noted that the award has become an example of excellence and distinction, and has contributed to the discovery of the creative and talented.
The official called on students, schools and holders of university and higher degrees to participate in the award, each in their field, to achieve victory, excellence and aspiration, as well as play a vital role in entrenching the culture of excellence in society.
HE Dr al-Nuaimi stressed that the participation is open for those aspiring to achieve success, and that excellence requires investing time, confidence, continuous giving and great effort.
In order to consolidate the culture of excellence and achieve a wide space for the dissemination of the award among the Qatari society, the Ministry of Education and High Education – over the past years since the award's establishment – has organised a documentary exhibition for the award under the slogan *With Excellence We Build Generations, which chronicles its previous sessions, starting with its very first one in 2007.
The award's Documentary Exhibition, of which the 15th edition has recently been inaugurated by HE the Minister of Education, aims to provide an opportunity for visitors to get acquainted with the award criteria, methods of submission and participation, preparation of its requirements, as well as its initiative known as “Ambassadors of Excellence”.
It contains many pavilions that document all of this, with films of previous sessions, pictures of the winners, the medals and certificates they received, and the award's commemorative stamps, shown.
According to experts and educators, the award has become an educational and developmental heritage for Qatari society, and a major state project, highlighting the focus on Qatar's human capital of knowledge that achieves its national vision.
In addition, the award allows both applicants and winners to continue participating in the development of excellence, whatever their background or environment.
For 15 years, the award has contributed to the consolidation of a culture of scientific excellence and support for the creativity process and skills of Qatari students.
In this regard, HE the Minister of Education al-Nuaimi said that the ministry will spare no effort in nurturing distinguished, talented and creative students and empowering them by providing them with opportunities and options.
The ministry will help them overcome the difficulties and obstacles they may face so in the process of development and modernisation supported by the wise leadership, she added.
She pointed out that Qatar's interest in science and the educational system, and in spreading a culture of excellence in all aspects, has made competing and winning in the award an honour that everyone seeks to achieve, as it is characterised by the highest international scientific standards.
HE the Minister of Education said that the renaissance of nations can only be achieved through dedication and perseverance to achieve goals, and stressed that excellence is one of the links in achieving these goals.
HE Dr al-Nuaimi emphasised that investing in science and education is an investment in people and in the future, pointing to Qatar’s approach, which comes from the leadership’s belief that the citizen – with their weapons of science and knowledge, will be able to fulfill their responsibilities of citizenship and give back to a homeland that spared no effort in their favour.
The distinguished students, who will have the honour of shaking hands with His Highness the Amir on the day when the world will witness a celebration of their excellence, will play a role model for those who aspire to achieve excellence, the official said, adding that the door of excellence is open to all, but requires mastery, sincerity, perseverance and determination.
Stakeholders and educators affirm that the Education Excellence Day Award has succeeded as the highest academic honour granted to distinguished individuals and educational institutions in the country in consolidating excellence, creativity and innovation in Qatar’s educational environment.
HE the Minister of Education stressed that Qatar relies on its scientifically distinguished youth to protect its gains at all levels, especially after they are armed with knowledge, skills and tools of creativity and are open to the world of scientific research.
The results of the 15th edition of Education Excellence Day Award, which was announced by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in January.
Out of 41 participants in the outstanding student category for the primary stage, 16 students won.
In the preparatory school category, four students out of 13 participants won, and in the category of outstanding student for the secondary school certificate, 12 students out of 31 participants won.
In the distinguished university student category, 30 students out of 80 participating candidates won, and one distinguished scientific research for the secondary stage out of 16 participating researches won.
In the distinguished teacher category, five teachers out of 12 participating teachers won, and two out of 47 competing participants won the master's degree holders category.
One doctoral degree holder out of 24 contestants won, while one school out of the three that entered the competition won the Distinguished School category.
Each of the nine award categories has its own guide, general application requirements, and nomination criteria.
The Organising Committee of the Education Excellence Day Award holds continuous meetings with the target groups and entities to identify the nomination procedures, in an effort to expand the circle of participation, as well as organise events and workshops to introduce the vision of the award.
Winners are awarded medals and financial rewards.
The outstanding primary school student in the platinum medal category receives QR15,000, a medal, and a certificate of excellence.
The distinguished student in the gold medal category is awarded QR10,000, a medal, and a certificate of excellence.
The outstanding student in the preparatory stage in the platinum medal category wins QR20,000, a medal, and a certificate of excellence, while the distinguished student in the gold medal category is awarded QR15,000, a medal, and a certificate of excellence.
The outstanding high school student in the platinum medal category is awarded a medal, a certificate of excellence, and QR35,000, while the distinguished student in the gold medal category is awarded a gold medal, a certificate of excellence, and QR25,000.
The student of the best research among secondary schools is awarded a gold medal and a certificate of excellence, in addition to QR20,000.
The distinguished university student in the platinum medal category will receive a medal, a certificate of excellence, and QR45,000.
The distinguished university student in the gold medal category is awarded a gold medal, a certificate of excellence, and QR 35,000.
The distinguished teacher is awarded the platinum medal and certificate of excellence in addition to QR60,000.
Doctoral degree holders are awarded the platinum medal and certificate of excellence, as wells as QR60,000.
The Distinguished School Award is granted to two distinguished schools, one public and the other private, each with a cash reward of QR100,000, a certificate of excellence, and a gold medal.
A gold medal and QR50,000 are awarded to the master's holders.