Qatar Foundation’s (QF) Pre-University Education (PUE) has kicked off the 2019-2020 academic year with its fourth annual PUE Forum.
The event at Qatar National Convention Centre gave more than 1,000 PUE teachers and staff members the opportunity to network, share ideas, and build relationships.
QF’s PUE president Buthaina Ali al-Nuaimi welcomed attendees with a speech celebrating recent successes and welcoming the new academic year, which will see 5,000 students enrolled across 12 QF PUE schools.
Al-Nuaimi also highlighted that the upcoming year will mark the opening of two new PUE schools – Tariq Bin Ziad School and Academyati.
“To us, quality education reaches far beyond merely focusing on literacy, delivering content, providing excellent facilities, and producing impressive exam results,” al-Nuaimi said.
“Quality education future-proofs our children by empowering them to be engaged, active, productive members of society, ready for whatever life holds. It embraces and celebrates their differences, and inspires them by challenging them,” al-Nuaimi noted.
“It places as much emphasis on their personal and cognitive development as their academic skills. It recognises that within every child lies potential – and devotes itself to ensuring that their potential is realised,” the PUE president added.
The event also served as an opportunity to recognise excellence through the annual PUE Awards, which work to build morale, motivation, and mutual respect among employees.
The categories for this year’s awards included Exceptional Contribution to Collaboration across Schools, Exceptional Contribution to Student Welfare, Best Education Initiative, Outstanding Teacher, Outstanding Practitioner – Academic, Outstanding Practitioner – Non Academic, and Outstanding Student.
“I’m honoured to receive the award for ‘Exceptional Contribution to Collaboration across Schools’. Thank you to all the teachers and members of leadership teams from different QF schools that supported the idea to provide the opportunities for QF schools to meet on a regular basis and share their love for sports,” Awsaj Academy’s lead teacher Sandijs Baskevics said.
Discussing his role in founding the Qatar Foundation Schools Sports Association (QFSSA), he said: “QFSSA influenced our students, as, by getting ready to represent their schools in the QFSSA competitions, committed to healthier lifestyles and developed new relationships and friendships within the QF community. I am looking forward to see the growth of this initiative.”
Shahad Nasser Mohamed, a student at Qatar Academy Al Wakrah, said: “When they started announcing the PUE Award winners, I was so nervous – my hands were shaking.”
“When my name was announced, I was ecstatic. All my accomplishments were celebrated by the QF community; all my teachers were cheering my name. I am so proud to be receiving this award, which will help me further my education and contribute to serving my country.” 
QF Schools executive director Stuart Leeming, in his keynote speech, congratulated all the award winners on their achievements, highlighted a number of recent successes, and encouraged the PUE community to continue striving for excellence.
The forum also featured student performances that showcased QF students’ abilities.
Participating students included Mubarek al-Hajri, Grade 3, Renad Academy; Maya al-Masri, Grade 11, Qatar Academy Al Khor; Jood Sheikh, Grade 11, Qatar Academy Sidra; Sultan al-Abdulla and Essa al-Buainain, Grade 7, Qatar Academy Al Wakrah; and a group from Awsaj Academy Elementary.
PUE currently houses 12 schools and academic institutions in Qatar, and continually strives to nurture academic excellence and innovation.
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