British Prime Minister Highlights British Council Support for Maths & Science Education in Qatar

During his visit to Qatar, British Prime Minister Rt. Hon Gordon Brown MP, expressed his support for a British Council and Supreme Education Council partnership which aims to improve the quality of teaching and learning of mathematics and science in Qatari schools.

The British Prime Minister welcomed the partnership, “This new project in Qatar demonstrates the importance of education in strengthening the long-standing and close ties between our two countries, and the British Council plays a unique and important role in fostering such links.”

The visit by the British Prime Minister coincided with the commencement of the groundbreaking Academic Language Support Programme in its dedicated premises in the former Qatar Technical College.

The Programme, funded by the Supreme Education Council and implemented by the British Council, aims to develop the language and teaching skills of those teaching maths and science in English in government-funded independent schools in Qatar. Currently 54 Qatari schools fall into this category with many more set to gain independence in the near future.

British Council Director, Simon Winetroube, celebrating the opening of the programme in its new premises, commented, ‘Independent schools in Qatar teach maths and science in English. This can bring enormous benefits when the students progress to tertiary education and the workplace. To help their students cope with learning in foreign language, the teachers need a high level of language proficiency and a range of special skills and techniques. With over 35 years experience of teaching English in Qatar the British Council is well-placed to help ensure that English language is not a barrier to a high-quality maths and science education’.

Ms. Sabah Al Haidoos, Education Institute Director commented: “The Academic Language Support Programme is an exciting project which is addressing an issue of great importance to the Qatar education reforms. We expect it will have a major impact for the benefit of our students.”

The Academic Language Support Programme, working with 219 teachers in the first year alone, incorporates a 100 hour English language course for teachers as well as intensive teacher training workshops and follow up support in schools.
Implemented by the British Council’s dedicated team of 20 teachers/trainers, the Programme will build on British Council experience of projects to address similar issues in Malaysia and Spain.

Eilidh Hamilton, British Council Project Manager, commented, ‘With such extensive use of English in maths and science globally, improving the teaching of these subjects in non-English speaking countries is critical for future generations. This Programme in Qatar will use Content and Language Integrated Learning methodologies, a new field which has been designed to address this very issue.