Qatar Office for Licencing of Teachers and School Leaders QORLA

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Qatar Office for Licencing of Teachers and School
Leaders (QORLA)

• Presentation to the International Congress of
  School Effectiveness and Improvement (ICSEI)
• January 2009

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Qatar
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Qatars Leadership
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Qatar education reformUnderlying principles

• Choice
• Variety
• Accountability
• Independence

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Supreme Education Council (SEC)
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Major undertakings

• Reducing the number of Ministry of Education
  Schools
• Establishing and increasing the number of
  Independent Schools
• Comprehensive data-based monitoring and
  evaluation system
• World class curriculum standards
• Professional standards for teachers and leaders

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Professional Standards

• Expectation
• To improve the quality of teaching and school
  leadership which will contribute to enhanced
  student achievement outcomes in Qatar
• Priorities for improving teaching and school
  leadership quality are to introduce
• National Professional Standards for Teachers and
  School Leaders (NPST/SL) Education Institute
• Licencing for Teachers and School Leaders against
  the National Professional Standards Evaluation
  Institute (QORLA)

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QORLA Goals 2008-2009
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QORLA Goals 2008-2009
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School Reform ApproachesLearning Networks

• Schools in a network can achieve more - in terms
  of building capacity and student achievement -
  than if they work alone

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Learning Networks Application to QORLA

• QORLA expectations
• the establishment of learning networks within
  and between the Evaluation Institute, schools,
  and the wider Qatar education community will
  achieve more than the QORLA can achieve
  independently
• QORLA will need a series of interdependent
  relationships/networks to achieve the SEC
  expectations

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Discussion

• Learning Networks have proven to be effective
  within and between schools
• How can Learning Network theory be applied to
  country wide reform efforts policy, research
  and practice?
• What are the strengths, weaknesses and gaps in
  Learning Network application in respect of
  country wide reform initiatives?

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Initiating Learning Networks QORLA Understandings

• Significant numbers of countries with high
  student achievement have well developed and
  articulated standards for teacher training and
  performance
• The Supreme Education Council Qatar reform is
  being led by three organisations - the Higher
  Education Institute, the Education Institute and
  the Evaluation Institute
• Qatar Independent schools are self managing
  within the wider education sector and within the
  community

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QORLA Networks A Definition

• An association of two or more organisations who
  agree to share responsibility for achieving one
  or more of the specific goals associated with
  teacher and school leader licencing.

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QORLA NetworksGoals

• Support QORLA to move Qatar teachers and school
  leaders through the stages of change associated
  with licencing
• Support QORLA to initiate processes for
  accrediting professional learning programmes and
  qualifications which will enhance teacher and
  school leader supply and quality
• Deepen own learning and understanding about
  successful networking and interdependency
• Deepen learning and understanding about the
  impact of licencing on teacher and school
  leader quality and student outcomes

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QORLA Networks Who
Education Institute
Australia
Higher Education Institute
Cognition Consulting Limited (New Zealand)
Evaluation Institute (Qatar)
England
Canada
Education Sector
United States of America
Schools
Community
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Networking Tools
Management
Governance
Memorandum of Understanding (Institutes)
Terms of Reference (Advisory Panels and
Transition Board)
QORLA
Contracts Delivery and Accountability (Supreme
Education Council and Cognition Consulting Limited
Operations
Operations
Operations
Licences (Teachers and School Leaders)
Guidelines (School Attestation Committees)
Accreditation (Professional Learning Programmes)
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QORLA Networking Characteristics

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Evaluation, Research
Reflection, Monitoring
Sharing Learning
Building Capacity, Collaborative learning
Leadership, Roles and Responsibilities, Structure
Common Purpose
Communication, Openness, mutual trust, respect,
support, Inclusive
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DISCUSSION
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QORLAAchievements April - December 2008

• .

Business Plan completed
Office Established Team appointed
E-Portfolio Guidelines promulgated
Attestation Overview drafted
Monitoring and Evaluation commenced
Provisional Licences issued to 85
Operator/Principals
Provisional Licence applications received from
800 teachers and 650 school leaders
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QORLAInitial Evaluation Findings

• Teachers, School Leaders, Institute, QORLA and
  wider education sector representatives
• are supportive of licencing
• see a need for licencing to occur to raise the
  achievement of students
• agree with the processes that have been
  implemented
• are concerned over the lack of implementation
  detail
• want more information and detail
• expressed some concern over the speed of change
  within Qatar, not just surrounding the QORLA
  work

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Discussion

• What should QORLA consider in the next phase of
  planning and implementation?
• What learning's are there in Qatar that may
  assist the ICSEI wider network to support and
  influence international and country wide reform
  efforts?