The Gulf state has taken a leading role in global educational transformation.
Qatar has revealed a massive $2.3bn fund to push for a range of education initiatives worldwide, state-run Qatar News Agency reported.
Speaking at the High-Impact Initiative on Transforming Education in New York, alongside the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meetings, Qatari Minister of Education and Higher Education Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi said the Gulf state has earmarked up to $2.3 billion for global education endeavours through strategic alliances.
Al Nuaimi said the substantial financial backing has facilitated quality learning experiences for millions of students worldwide.
“These programmes achieved tangible results, enabling young people to contribute to the development and well-being of their communities,” she said.
The Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the UN Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al Thani also participated in the session. The discussions form part of a broader effort to speed up the realisation of the United Nations’ fourth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), focused on education quality.
In her address, Al Nuaimi underscored the collective responsibility to provide quality education for all, describing it as “a common global interest and an essential driver for the progress of all 17 SDGs.”
The meeting also serves as a follow-up to the commitments made during the Transforming Education Summit, convened by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to elevate education on the global political stage.
The event included several specialised sessions. Topics ranged from countries’ experiences in overhauling their education systems to rethinking how educational finance is approached and invested, in a manner that is both efficient and equitable.
Qatar has emerged as one of the five trailblazing nations leading transformation in global education. Its selection for this role was announced by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the Transforming Education Summit earlier this year, reflecting Qatar’s deep commitment to education both domestically and internationally.
A decade ago, Qatar initiated a groundbreaking resolution at the UN General Assembly focusing on “The Right to Education in Emergency Situations.” Guided by Sheikha Moza bint Nasser and supported by Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the resolution was unanimously adopted, declaring education as a fundamental human right, notably for children in conflict zones.
The State of Qatar also led the campaign to establish the “International Day to Protect Education from Attack,” celebrated annually on September 9. The motion, presented by Qatar, gained unanimous approval from the UN General Assembly in May 2020.
Meanwhile, Education Above All Foundation (EAA) and the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) recently pledged $20 million to the United Nations’ Education Cannot Wait (ECW) initiative, aimed at aiding children who have been stripped of educational opportunities due to crises in their native countries.
