The total number of male and female pupils in public schools in all educational stages in the school year 2007/2008 was 39115, %64 of whom are Qataris. The number of students with scholarships in Qatar and abroad was 829 male and female students.

Specialized Education (For Boys)

1- Religious Institution
Religious Institute comprising a preparatory and a secondary stages.The study period for each stage is for three years.

2- Commercial Secondary School
Pupils who successfully complete the third preparatory year are admitted to it for three years. Graduates are awarded the Diploma of Commercial Secondary Education.

3- Technical Industrial School
The programme and curricula provide the pupil with English language skills in theoretical and applied programmes, especially in technical subjects. Pupils acquire the necessary skills in various computer applications suitable to their technical capabilities and field of specialization.

Literacy and Adult Education
Illiteracy eradication was started in 1954 and the number of males and females attending evening and literacy classes rose to 2468 in 2007/2008.

Special Education
When special education was introduced in Qatar in 1974 there was only one class attached to an elementary school for boys in Doha. In 1980 the number rose to three classes taught by 8 teachers. Al-Amal Institute for Boys was set up in 1981 followed by Al Amal Institute for Girls in 1982. The two became known as Al Amal School for Boys and Al Amal School for Girls. Later there were two schools for mental education for boys and one such school for girls as well as two schools for audio education, one for boys and the other for girls.

The Qatari Centre for the Gifted
The center offers activities, services and programmes that aid gifted pupils to acquire skills of thinking and employ them in problem-solving and decision-making. The center helps pupils and their parents to become acquainted with the latest development in the field of creativity as well as familiarizing themselves with the literature related to this vital field.

Languages Institute
The Languages Institute was set up in 1973 to admit employees of government department and semi-official institutions to improve their language competence through use of modern audio-visual techniques in the teaching of Arabic, English and French.

"Education for a New Era"
The government launched its initiative of developing the general education in Qatar under the slogan "Education for a New Era", which aims to provide the best educational programs for the sons and daughters of Qatar in order to prepare them to meet the requirements of the economic and social development process of the country. The Supreme Education Council was established in 2002 by the Emiri decree No (37) with the aim to direct the nation's education policy and play an integral role in development and implementation of the education reform effort through the work of the following three institutes that are directly responsible for reaching the objectives of the Council.

Education Institute
The Education Institute oversees the establishment and performance of independent schools in the following essential areas: developing curriculum standards in key subject including Arabic language, English language, science and mathematics to facilitate a high level of learning; providing professional development opportunities so teachers and principals can stay current on the latest teaching and management techniques; and ensuring that schools are fiscally accountable by monitoring their financial management through periodic reports and audits.

The Education Institute is formed of four offices:
a. Office of Independent Schools.
b. Office of Curriculum Standards.
c. Office of Professional Development.
d. Office of Finance.

Evaluation Institute
The Evaluation Institute determines whether students and schools are attaining their goals i.e., whether the students are learning and schools are educating. Based on this, the institute informs schools, teachers and students about their performance to help them reflect and improve upon it; and supplies information to parents and other decision-makers on the extent to which the schools are fulfilling their role.

The Evaluation Institute is formed of four offices:
a. Office of Student Assessment.
b. Office of School Evaluation.
c. Office of Data Collection And Management.
d. Office of Researches And Studies.

Higher Education Institute
The Higher Education Institute provides guidance for the students on the professional and higher education options inside and outside Qatar, in addition to managing all scholarships. Thus, it mainly aims to secure work market requirements for qualified cadres; develop linguistic, critical thinking and problem-solving potential; prepare the future work leaders; enhance cultural awareness; establish strong ties with other countries; and provide the chance for the best Qatari students to work in the fields that have direct positive impact on society.

Independent Schools
Independent schools are government-funded schools that were Established by the Supreme Education Council and supervised by the Education Institute. They incorporate all school stages (primary, preparatory and secondary), and are designed in such way as to encourage creativity and assist parents to select the best schools that can cater for the educational requirements of their children.

Independent schools choose and employ their teaching and administrative staff while the Evaluation and the Education institutes of the Supreme Education Council carry out continuous assessment of the performance of these schools through various substantive evaluation criteria.

The number of independent schools reached 88 including kindergartens during the school year 2007/2008. They have 41,181 students in all stages.