October 15, 2025:
The Department of Private Schools and Kindergartens organized “The First Conference on Safeguarding and Student Care “at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Qatar on October 14th and 15th, 2025. It was a landmark two-day Conference focused on emphasizing the theme of “Care” — a call to strengthen student protection, wellbeing, and holistic development across Qatar’s private schools and kindergartens. The event provided a vital platform for educators and specialists to discuss and implement best practices in student protection and wellbeing.
Day 1 Highlights
The conference agenda included plenary sessions in the multipurpose hall (Building 2) featuring high-profile speakers on topics such as the Launch of the Policy for the Safeguarding and Care of Students, and the development of The National Child Protection Service.
A key component of the conference was the series of concurrent Development Workshops held in Building 5. These workshops covered specialized topics, including:
- Proactively safeguarding children by fostering Partnerships with Parents.
- Integrating wellbeing strategies into every classroom.
- Harnessing AI to protect adolescents.
Day 2 Highlights
Day 2 continued with an intensive focus on policy and practice, with key sessions including: - Safeguarding in today’s digital world by Anisa Haji, Head of Primary School at DESS Doha School for English Speakers.
- Building a whole school approach to safeguarding by Dr. Khalid Hussein, Head of Strategy and Development at Aspire Academy.
- Global Perspectives On Child Protection: Safer Recruitment and KCSIE in Practice by Uzma Zaffar, Vice Principal and Executive Designated Safeguarding Lead at Doha College.
- Child abuse Recognition, referral, and response in Qatar by Dr. Nadeem Jilani, Senior Attending Physician and Medical Director of the SCAP service.
Conclusive Session: Key Policy Points for Student Protection
The event concluded with a final discussion and conclusion led by Dr. Rania Mohamed, Director of Private Schools and Kindergartens Department. This session established a comprehensive framework for enhancing student protection, highlighting the following key points related to a policy for student protection in schools:
- Generalizing the student protection policy in all private schools and kindergartens, ensuring its actual application through a clear plan and precise follow-up mechanisms.
- Establishing a national unit or center for school protection that undertakes the supervision of implementing policies and unifying efforts between schools and specialized authorities.
- Training all staff in schools and private kindergartens on the fundamentals of protection, reporting, and early intervention mechanisms.
- Enhancing the role of parents as active partners in student protection through awareness programs and continuous communication with the school.
- Empowering students themselves to express their opinions and needs in a safe environment that respects their rights and dignity.
- Establishing local and international partnerships with educational, health, and social institutions to ensure the provision of comprehensive services for student protection.
- Benefiting from leading international experiences in the field of child protection and building a school culture based on safety, trust, and transparency.
- Measuring the impact of applying the protection policy on the quality of student life and their psychological and social well-being in schools.
Official Representation:
Our school was represented by:
- Faheema Mustafa, School Counsellor
- Mrs. Shafeeah Moidu, PGT Psychology cum counsellor
- Sajina C, Foundation Section Academic Supervisor (Afternoon Section)
Their active participation across sessions and workshops ensures that the insights, strategies, and safeguarding frameworks shared at the conference will be thoughtfully integrated into our school’s ongoing wellbeing and child protection initiatives.
Together, we continue our shared mission to care, protect, and empower every learner.
