Father Amir, Sheikha Moza attend official opening of QF’s Tariq bin Ziad School

Doha: Father Amir HH Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani and Chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser attended Tuesday morning the official opening ceremony of Tariq bin Ziad School, under the umbrella of Qatar Foundation (QF).

The event was also attended by HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al-Thani, a number of Their Excellencies ministers, dignitaries and senior figures from QF, as well as alumni of Tariq Bin Ziad School, and parents of the school’s current students.

Speaking at the official opening of the school, HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al-Thani said: “I am honored to be one of the alumni of Tariq Bin Ziad School. We are here today to proudly relaunch this school as it continues its journey of nurturing a new generation.”

“Through their constant support for the human development of the children of this country, the leadership of Qatar is demonstrating its recognition that education is the path to preparing and empowering our young people, in terms of their perspectives, their minds, their souls, their behaviors, and their sense of national identity; and that knowledge and faith remain the best way of advancing and sustaining our community. This community is built on cooperation, solidarity, and a commitment to serving the needs of Qatar”, HE added.

“I would like to take this opportunity, while speaking about this historic school, to emphasize that it has been renewed under the umbrella of QF, while retaining its original spirit and identity”, HE continued.

“My memories of this school will never leave me – I carry them with me in every moment”, said the school’s former director Eissa Bin Hazza in his speech, adding “the value of Tariq Bin Ziad School is a reality that everyone can see, and it carries hope for future generations. Young people are the foundation of Qatar and represent the future of our nation. As educators, we are responsible for creating this foundation, because the better we are as educators, the better our future generations will be.”

“Tariq Bin Ziad School is seen as being one of the educational edifices of Qatar, embraced by generations of young people who have gone on to become leaders and impact-makers in many different sectors across the country, and has now become the 12th school to come under the umbrella of QF’s Pre-University Education (PUE)”, said the President of QF’s PUE Buthaina Ali Al Nuaimi.

“Our focus on Qatari heritage and history, national identity, and preserving and nurturing our cultural traditions and values for the young people of this country is rooted within our schools, as represented by our Qatari heritage curriculum, which reflects QF’s commitment to equipping a new generation of leaders who are capable of balancing knowledge, appreciation of their cultural heritage, and answering the challenges of globalization”, she added.

The celebration also included a performance by students depicting the environment of the school in the 1970s, as well as an exhibition chronicling its story from its establishment in the 1960s to the present day.

Tariq Bin Ziad School, which came under the umbrella of PUE at the start of the current academic year, offers a bilingual co-educational Primary Years Programme that follows the International Baccalaureate curriculum, with additional aspects that reflect the importance and the enduring relevance of Qatari heritage.

The school focuses on providing quality education that prepares children to be future leaders and active citizens, while being rooted in Arabic cultural heritage, identity, and values, and the Arabic language, and has an academic focus that extends into the community. It currently caters from students from PS3 to Grade 1, with one grade level being added each year until Grade 5.

In a speech at the ceremony, Director of Tariq Bin Ziad School, Maha Al Romaihi said: “I would like to thank everyone who has been part of this school’s journey in the past, both those who have worked and studied here, because they have contributed to maintaining the proud name of Tariq Bin Ziad School, created its legacy, and left an imprint for the future generations who will work and study here.”

“We will continue to carry forward the message of why quality education is so important, and nurture a new generation of Tariq Bin Ziad School students”, she added.

Included in the exhibition retelling Tariq Bin Ziad School’s history were photographs, videos, artefacts, school magazines, and furniture which was once part of its learning environment, alongside a gallery of photographs of its current students and faculty.

The ceremony was followed by the fifth edition of the Education Forum on Heritage and Identity, organized by PUE’s Education Development Institute, which celebrates learning initiatives focused on Qatari cultural heritage and national identity, and enables teachers to showcase and discuss activities that support national education programs in Qatar’s schools.

شهد صاحب السمو الأمير الوالد الشيخ حمد بن خليفة آل ثاني، وصاحبة السمو الشيخة موزا بنت ناصر، رئيس مجلس إدارة مؤسسة قطر للتربية والعلوم وتنمية المجتمع، صباح أمس، حفل الافتتاح الرسمي لمدرسة طارق بن زياد التي تندرج تحت مظلة مؤسسة قطر.

حضر الحفل سمو الشيخ عبدالله بن خليفة آل ثاني، وعدد من أصحاب السعادة الشيوخ والوزراء، وكبار مسؤولي مؤسسة قطر، وعدد من خريجي مدرسة طارق بن زياد، وأولياء الأمور.

وتوفر مدرسة طارق بن زياد تعليماً عالي الجودة، يهيئ الطلاب ليكونوا مواطنين مؤثرين وفاعلين، بالتزامن مع غرس التراث الثقافي العربي، والهوية، والقيم، واللغة العربية في نفوس طلابها، وتقدّم مع بداية العام الدراسي الحالي، برنامجاً ثنائي اللغة للبنين والبنات للمرحلة الابتدائية، يتبنى مناهج دبلوم البكالوريا الدولية، بالإضافة إلى عناصر تعكس التراث القطري.

مع توسيع نموذج التعليم ما قبل الجامعي الذي تتبناه مؤسسة قطر، فإن المدرسة تهدف إلى تعزيز التركيز الأكاديمي، وامتداده خارج الفصول الدراسية، كما ستقدّم المدرسة المراحل الدراسية الثلاث الأولى، وحتى الصف الأول، وبعد ذلك، ستتم إضافة مرحلة واحدة كل عام، حتى الصف الخامس.