Qatari officials use teacher licensing system as model

A group of senior officers from Qatar’s Professional Licensing Office for Teachers and School Leaders (QORLA)­ recently took part in a study tour around NZ.

Cognition Education, a NZ education consultancy, hosted the study tour to help QORLA officials see what is being done in NZ in practice and how teachers are licensed here.

In 2008, Qatar became the first of the Gulf States to introduce teacher licensing. Cognition has been assisting the Supreme Education Council (SEC) in Qatar to develop, implement and evaluate registration and licensing policy framework.

“This study tour will provide the group with the opportunity to learn more about the education system in NZ,” says Mary Sinclair, who has lead responsibility for Cognition’s role in the project.

“They will be able to see the different ways in which New Zealand is trying to improve teacher and school leader quality.”

The group visited the NZ Teachers Council, the NZ Qualifications Authority, Parliament, the University of Auckland and schools in Auckland, Paremata, Stratford and Hawera.

By the end of July 2010, all teachers in all schools in Qatar must be provisionally licensed by QORLA.