Cognition

Qatari officials use New Zealand teacher licensing system as model

A group of Senior Officers from Qatar’s Professional Licensing Office for Teachers and School Leaders (QORLA) will be taking part in a study tour around New Zealand this week.

Cognition Education, a New Zealand education consultancy, is hosting the study tour to help QORLA officials see what is being done in New Zealand 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 them with the opportunity to learn more about the education system in New Zealand,” 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 will be visiting the New Zealand Teachers Council, the New Zealand 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.

Senior QORLA Officers at the Cognition offices (from left) Adnan Al Amri, Bader Al Mulla, Hassan Al Sheebani, Mary Sinclair (Cognition), Badria Al Mohannadi, Chris Sullivan (Cognition)