Doha: Minister of Education and Higher Education H E Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulwahed Al Hammadi has urged governments and other stakeholders to ensure a smooth education in all over the world especially in conflict areas.
The Minister was delivering a keynote speech at a virtual event held to celebrate the International Day to Protect Education from Attack on Thursday.
“The situation of COVID-19 pandemic requires governments and other stakeholders to hold the primary responsibility to provide protection to education system and ensure quality and fair education for all children at all levels,” said the Minister.
He said that it is also needed to reach to the best solutions by enhancing the protection of education from various threats and enable children and youth to continue education even in the most difficult circumstances and prevent violations against them in future and hold accountable to those who deliberately attacked education.
“We celebrate together the International Day to Protect Education from Attack in its second edition as a clear message to the whole world about the importance of safeguarding educational institutions and schools as places of safety and protection for students and educators,” said the Minister.
Minister of Education and Higher Education H E Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulwahed Al Hammadisaid that this day is an embodiment of the role of the State of Qatar in adopting UN resolution issued in this regard and in appreciation of the great role played by Chairperson of Education Above All (EAA) H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser to raise the value of education and its status considering it one of human rights.
He said that Her Highness is keen to provide protection to education ensuring that every child in the world has this right, regardless of the circumstances and situation in which they live. “For a long time, our world has witnessed relentless attacks against children and educational institutions in conflict areas such as Yemen, Syria, Palestine, Afghanistan and other conflict areas in the world.”
He said that the parties in conflict deprive children from their rights to live in safe places and receive quality education in their educational institutions, which negatively affects the future of these students and makes them an easy target for abuse and exploitation in terrorist and criminal activities.
“The COVID-19 pandemic put negative impact on the lives of families, communities and educational institutions all over the world, which led to a decline in the progressive indicators.”
He said that this left children in a difficult situation affecting their future, as schools remained closed for over millions of children for a year, in addition to what was left by the pandemic. “It has a clear impact on providing the technical capabilities for providing quality education for millions of children in the world,” said the Minister.
