School leadership
2.1. Leadership standards and roles
2.2. Selection and working conditions
2.3. Leadership preparation and training
3. Teachers, parents and students
3.1. School management committees and boards
4.1. Autonomy of school leaders
4.2. Assessment and accountability of school leaders
4.3. Teacher assessment by school leaders
1. Terminology
The 2015 National Professional Standards for Teachers and School Leaders states that school leaders are divided into two categories: (1) Principals and (2) Vice Principals: Academic Affairs Vice Principal, Administrative Affairs Vice Principal, and Kindergarten Vice Principal. They highlight that the school principal serves as the ultimate leader.
2. School principals
2.1. Leadership standards and roles
Competency standards and leadership frameworks and guidelines
In its ongoing effort to enhance student performance, Qatar introduced the National Professional Standards for Teachers and School Leaders in 2007, setting a benchmark for professional standards in the Middle East. After seven years of implementation, the standards were reviewed and revised to improve clarity, effectiveness, and alignment with practical experience, research, and international best practices. In January 2014, a committee was established to oversee this revision, and an external entity was assigned to manage the professional licensing process.
The 2015 National Professional Standards for Teachers and School Leaders were established based on feedback from educators after seven years of implementing the previous standards, which were informed by research and international best practices. The updated standards became the basis for recruiting and selecting new teachers, professional development, granting professional licenses, and career advancement. They delineate the core responsibilities for effective school leadership. They encompass strategic management, leading and managing education and learning within the school community. The first standard requires school leaders to exhibit strategic leadership by planning and developing the school, using resources efficiently, and involving the Board of Trustees in strategic planning while ensuring policy implementation from the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. The second standard focuses on monitoring and evaluating teaching and learning quality, using assessment data to support student progress, including those with specific needs, and creating a safe, stimulating learning environment. The third standard is about achieving high standards to drive continuous improvement, involving the development of individuals and teams through data and self-review results. The fourth standard emphasizes effective leadership and management of personnel, fostering a collaborative atmosphere, and leading innovation and change. The fifth standard highlights the importance of building and maintaining strong relationships with parents, the community, and stakeholders, promoting the school's principles and preparing students to be engaged global citizens.
The 2018 Guideline for Public Schools Evaluation also highlights the standards on which school management and leadership should be evaluated.
Roles
Setting expectations/objectives: According to the 2015 National Professional Standards for Teachers and School Leaders, principals are responsible for providing vision and direction, ensuring adherence to policies and procedures to support effective school management. The standards emphasize that principals must prioritize these guidelines, as they outline the strategic and operational priorities for their schools. Additionally, principals lead their teams in developing and implementing both the five-year strategic plan and annual development plans for the school.
The 2018 Guideline for Public Schools Evaluation also emphasizes the crucial role of school leadership and management in guiding and developing school performance by setting realistic, measurable, and clear annual goals, working towards achieving them, preparing suitable plans for implementation, and continuously evaluating them. Moreover, it underscores the importance of aligning leadership and management actions with the goals and vision of the education ministry.
Developing teaching and learning: The 2018 Guideline for Public Schools Evaluation underscores the crucial role that effective school leadership and management play in enhancing student learning outcomes and improving educational practices.
According to the 2015 National Professional Standards for Teachers and School Leaders, the school principal ensures efficient resource allocation to enhance the teaching and learning process while also monitoring its quality. They oversee and assess teaching and learning practices, utilizing assessment data to evaluate student progress across various learning profiles and prepare comprehensive reports accordingly.
Promoting collaboration: The 2015 National Professional Standards for Teachers and School Leaders emphasize that school principals play a vital role in fostering partnerships with parents, the community, and external institutions. Principals are tasked with establishing policies to strengthen relationships with students' families, ensuring their active involvement in school activities and keeping them informed about their children's progress. They value parental feedback to improve the student learning experience and academic performance. Additionally, principals work to build and sustain partnerships with the business sector and local community, supporting school initiatives and enhancing student learning. By collaborating with various organizations and companies, principals promote real-world connections and prepare students for future careers while developing their citizenship skills. Through proactive engagement in partnership building and community involvement, principals create a positive environment that upholds the school's vision and values, fostering successful educational outcomes and holistic student development.
Supporting staff development: The 2015 National Professional Standards for Teachers and School Leaders state that school principals collaborate with their leadership team, including deputies for academic and administrative affairs, to develop policies and practices that drive continuous improvement and high performance. Principals support staff development by effectively delegating tasks, ensuring balanced workloads, and fostering teamwork to achieve common goals. They recognize individual strengths, promote team cohesion, and motivate staff through performance management. Principals also actively encourage professional development, maintain an atmosphere of respect and open communication, and manage change with stakeholder engagement. They set clear performance expectations, recognize excellence, and provide constructive feedback and growth opportunities.
Acting in accordance with the ethical principles of the profession: The 2015 National Professional Standards for Teachers and School Leaders mention that the school principal serves as a role model for a culture of personal development and continuous learning and demonstrates high levels of performance, personal integrity, and ethical behavior.
2.2. Selection and working conditions
Degree requirements and prior teaching experience
The Ministry's announcement on its website for the opening of applications for the position of government school principal for the academic year 2023-2024 specifies that eligible candidates must hold an accredited university degree of at least a bachelor's level and have a minimum of 15 years of practical experience in the educational field, including at least three years in a Deputy Director role for Administrative or Academic Affairs. Candidates must also have received an “Excellent” rating in their annual evaluations for the last two years and should have no disciplinary actions taken against them.
According to the Ministry of Education website, the Professional Licensing System is available electronically for school leaders at https://rukhsa.edu.gov.qa. This system allows educational professionals, including teachers, coordinators, academic and administrative deputies, kindergarten deputies, and school principals, to submit applications for obtaining or renewing their professional licenses, based on their specific job titles. However, the system does not support the renewal of entry-level teacher licenses.
Appointment decision
The Ministry of Education and Higher Education employs national, Arab, and international educational and administrative staff to maintain high standards of education and learning. It offers various training and development programs for different specializations and grants professional licenses to teachers and school principals.
The Ministry's announcement regarding applications for the position of government school principal for the academic year 2023-2024, available on its website, emphasizes its goal of ensuring equal opportunities for all qualified Qatari educators to lead the education sector. The selection process includes a personal interview, and a professional license for leadership is preferred. Additionally, providing a testimonial from a current or former director and completing the "Future School Leadership" training program offered by the Training and Educational Development Center are considered advantageous.
Employment equity measures
No equity measures for school principals were found.
Working conditions
The 2017 Decision of the Minister of Education and Higher Education No. 40 regarding the 2015 Executive Regulations on Private Schools No. 23 specifies that individuals working in the school must not be employed in any other government or private sector role. Additionally, candidates for the position of school principal must be between the ages of thirty and fifty-five at the time of appointment and hold an appropriate higher qualification. The Minister may make exceptions to the age requirement based on public interest (Art. 21).
The 2019 Cabinet Decision No.32 on Job Regulations for School Employees specifies that the grades and salaries of Qatari employees are determined according to Table No. 1 (Art. 2). Non-Qatari employees are appointed under contracts in line with the guide for job description, classification, and ranking issued under the law, with their grades and salaries set according to Table No. 2 (Art. 3). All school employees are entitled to bonuses, allowances, and other benefits as specified by law, ensuring no duplication of benefits (Art. 4). Additionally, school principals, vice principals, and academic staff receive a monthly work nature allowance equal to 35% of their basic salary (Art. 7).
The 2019 Cabinet Decision No.32 on Job Regulations for School Employees is based on the 2016 Executive Regulations of the Civil Human Resources Law issued by Cabinet Resolution No. 32 which means that school employees are considered civil servants.
Table No. 1 Grades and salary scale of Qatari employees and academics at the Ministry (Qatari Riyals)
Table No. 2 Grades and salary scale of non-Qatari employees in schools (Qatari Riyals)
The 2019 Cabinet Decision No.32 on Job Regulations for School Employees states that school principals or academic employees may be transferred to an academic position within the Ministry based on public interest, retaining all allocations and benefits from their previous or new position, whichever is greater. The Minister may also transfer them to other administrative positions according to Table No. 1 and Table No. 2 (Art. 41). The Ministry's Human Resources Department can second employees to positions in other schools or adult education, subject to relevant administrative approval. Additionally, the school principal may temporarily second employees to different positions within the same school, in coordination with Human Resources, for a period not exceeding one academic year, to a similar or higher position.
2.3. Leadership preparation and training
Pre-service training
If a school leader does not pass the Professional Licensing System, they will be enrolled in a targeted training program designed to address their specific areas of improvement. This training must be completed within 24 months from the initial failure, after which they can reapply for the license. The Professional Licensing System aims to prioritize learning, performance, and achievement to help students reach their highest potential and contribute to the advancement of Qatari society.
During the 2022-2023 academic year, the Training and Educational Development Center offered comprehensive training for school leaders and administrators. In the first semester, nine specialized programs were provided, covering crisis management, fundamental leadership skills, and specific training for new principals. From September to October, exclusive programs for principals and academic deputies focused on performance management and e-learning leadership. Additionally, 16 training programs were available for administrators, addressing topics such as guidance, food safety, psychological diagnosis, behavior modification, and safety procedures. Participants were required to actively engage, attend fully, and complete assignments on time.
In collaboration with the Training and Educational Development Center, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education organized a leadership development program for school leaders from September 19 to October 6, 2022. This program involved 25 participants, including deputy heads of administrative, academic, and kindergarten affairs. It aimed to enhance leadership skills and prepare leaders for professional licensing. The goal was to improve their job performance, anticipate future challenges, and contribute to the progress of Qatar's education sector.
Induction and in-service training
In alignment with Qatar's National Vision 2030 and the principle of investing in human potential for sustainable development, all educational sector employees participate in training and development programs designed to enhance their skills and knowledge. This training extends beyond professional licensing requirements, offering general programs that develop capabilities and expertise. To help balance job responsibilities with training, participants receive various incentives and facilities.
According to Article 7 of the 2016 Emiri Decree No. 9, the Training and Educational Development Center is responsible for addressing training and professional development needs for teachers and educational staff. This includes assessing training needs, creating and implementing training plans, and evaluating the effectiveness of these initiatives.
The Center’s training programs are designed to align with the National Professional Standards for Teachers and School Leaders and support the strategic goal of improving teacher and school leader efficiency. Notably, school principal training programs are exclusively available to Qatari nationals.
3. Teachers, parents and students
3.1. School management committees and boards
According to the 2015 National Professional Standards for Teachers and School Leaders, the school leader oversees the process of forming the Board of Trustees according to the guidelines and policies in place. They provide regular reports to the Board of Trustees to help them understand the school's current situation and provide support.
The 2019 Cabinet Decision No.32 on Job Regulations for School Employees states that within the Ministry, two committees, namely the "School Affairs Committee" and the "School Employees Committee," are established. Each committee is granted specific responsibilities as per this system, and the Minister issues a decision determining their formation, respective authorities, working procedures, and member compensations. Notably, the School Employees Committee includes a representative from the Ministry's Legal Affairs Department. Additionally, school positions are divided into functional groups, with each group consisting of positions sharing similar job natures, duties, responsibilities, and required qualifications. The arrangement of these positions is based on the organizational structure approved by the Minister (art.44-45).
3.2. Middle leaders
Since 2004, Qatar witnessed significant changes in the education sector, which led to the emergence of new roles and expectations for teachers. The educational reform introduced various positions, including professional development coordinators, public relations coordinators, and career advisors, in addition to new roles for school leaders like school operators and school vice principals for academic affairs. The Ministry of Education (MoE) unified school structures while retaining some of these positions. To avoid any confusion or conflict, the MoE provided clear job descriptions for school administrative staff, separating them from the teaching staff.
During the educational reform under the governance of the SEC (Supreme Education Council), teachers in Qatar experienced a sense of autonomy. They had the freedom to design curricula, choose resources, implement diverse assessment methods, conduct training, and explore new programmes abroad. However, following the 2016 Emiri Decree No. 9, when the SEC's authority was dissolved, there was a shift in roles and opportunities and the MoE became the sole entity responsible for supervising and managing schools and education centers in Qatar. The education landscape therefore evolved, and the MoE transitioned to a more centralized system, where school leaders and teachers were primarily responsible for executing predefined tasks. Throughout the reform, teachers and school leaders faced new systems, requirements, and school structures. Teachers were expected to take on entirely new roles and positions as a result of the reform, and they received training and opportunities to explore leadership within schools.
3.3. Parents
The 2018-2022 National Development Strategy (NDS-2) stresses the importance of parental participation in the education of children. While no information has been found on rules for the composition or description of parent-teacher associations, the policy brief 2020 Parental Involvement in Education: Findings and Implications from Qatar Education Survey published by Qatar University, demonstrates that parents do participate in parent councils in schools but participation by school type is higher for parents in Government schools than for parents in International schools.
3.4. Students
Although national laws, policies, strategies, or frameworks do not specify rules for the composition of student councils, private schools often provide details about their student councils and their governing rules on their websites.
4. Governance
4.1. Autonomy of school leaders
The 2019 Cabinet Decision No.32 on Job Regulations for School Employees grants school principals the authority to initiate investigations into any school employee. An individual designated by the principal conducts these investigations. Based on the findings, the principal may take appropriate actions, such as issuing a formal warning, reprimand, or salary deductions. Deductions must not exceed fifteen days annually and cannot surpass three consecutive days at a time. The principal must notify the relevant administration of any penalty within three days of its imposition. Employees can appeal disciplinary decisions to the School Employees Committee within thirty days. If the committee does not reach a decision within this period, the appeal is considered rejected. For violations, the Minister may assign the Ministry's Legal Affairs Department to investigate, in which case the principal cannot act. The Minister may choose to maintain the investigation, refer the employee to the School Employees Committee for action, or impose legal penalties. The Minister or principal can suspend an employee under investigation with full salary for up to fifteen days, and the committee may extend this suspension if necessary (arts. 31-34).
The 2017 Decision of the Minister of Education and Higher Education No. 40 outlines that the licensed principal is responsible for hiring and onboarding administrative and academic staff before the academic year begins, ensuring they start on the first day of classes. The principal is also tasked with managing salaries and job-related rights, and the academic year should not commence with a staff shortage exceeding 10% of the school's capacity. All staff hiring requires prior approval from the competent authority. Employment contracts, primarily written in Arabic but possibly including other languages, are required for all employees and cover the academic year plus summer vacation. Contracts detail job roles, monthly salaries, and rights and obligations, and include a six-month probationary period for new hires, during which their performance is assessed. Employees may only be on probation once per school, and if deemed unsuitable during this period, the principal can terminate the contract with at least one week's notice before its end date (arts. 22-23).
According to the 2015 National Professional Standards for Teachers and School Leaders, the school leader employs educational innovations to support teaching practices and administrative procedures.
4.2. Assessment and accountability of school leaders
The 2018 Guideline for Public Schools Evaluation, published by the School Evaluation Department of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, mentions that schools go through an internal evaluation and an external periodic evaluation process in which inspectors conduct a one-week visitation to conduct interviews with all parties including school management. The guideline includes the evaluation criteria for school management based on their ability to formulate the vision and the mission, assessment and professional development, health and safety, human resources management, and community engagement.
The 2015 National Professional Standards for Teachers and School Leaders follows a model based on a verbal rating scale (assessment scale) that defines different levels of performance. A School principal must obtain a professional license that has to be renewed on a regular basis based on his performance. This renewal is a result of joint efforts undertaken by the Training and Educational Development Center in collaboration with the Educational Guidance Department and the School Affairs Department.
4.3. Teacher assessment by school leaders
Teachers are evaluated by school principals through an internal process and an external evaluation by school inspectors.
The 2015 National Professional Standards for Teachers and School Leaders states that school principals play a crucial role in monitoring the application of the National Professional Standards and evaluating teachers in collaboration with the school leadership team. Therefore, the responsibility for ensuring the school's adherence to the National Professional Standards lies primarily with the school principal, supported by the school leadership team. The school principal leads the self-review team for the school. They take necessary actions to utilize the results of the self-review process to improve school performance. The principal reinforces the concept of a culture of self-assessment in school practices.
The Professional Licensing System allows the school principal to evaluate the teachers using the evaluation form provided in the system. This evaluation determines the teacher's performance level, whether they pass or fail. In case of failure, the teacher is subjected to a one-year development plan. It also supports the features of research and reporting “School principals and Ministry of Education employees monitor teachers’ performance according to MoE regulations”.
The 2018 Guideline for Public Schools Evaluation highlights that school inspectors conduct classroom observations.
