Doha, Qatar: Education Above All (EAA) Foundation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOEHE) and Qatar Charity, this week celebrated the official opening of the Fourth Assalam School, marking another milestone under the ‘Together’ Project.
The Fourth Assalam School joins the growing network of Assalam Schools, established to support at-risk learners and children facing barriers that prevent them from accessing or continuing quality education.
Although the school officially began operations in January 2025, the ceremony was held to commemorate the tangible results achieved and the positive transformation already evident in students’ lives.
The school serves primary-level students aged 7 to 12 and operates a dual-shift, dual-curriculum model designed to maximise reach and respond to diverse learning needs. The morning shift delivers the Qatari National Curriculum for Arabic-speaking students, while the afternoon shift follows the British curriculum for non-Arabic-speaking students.
To date, 587 students are enrolled, 276 in the morning shift and 311 in the afternoon shift, demonstrating partners’ shared commitment to expanding inclusive, equitable, and high-quality education in line with national priorities.
Mohamed Al-Kubaisi, CEO of the Education Above All Foundation, emphasised that inclusive, flexible education models can close learning gaps and restore opportunities for vulnerable children.
“When education reaches children where they are, lives are transformed. At the Fourth Assalam School, we are witnessing confidence restored, potential unlocked, and families re-engaged in the learning journey. This is the power of partnership and purpose, transforming access into opportunity and classrooms into places of hope.”
Yousef Bin Ahmed AlKuwari, CEO of Qatar Charity, reaffirmed the partnership’s evolution from humanitarian response to sustainable human development.
“The opening of the Fourth Assalam School reflects our firm belief that education is a fundamental right for every child and the most sustainable path to empowerment. Through our long-standing partnership with Education Above All Foundation and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, we are committed to ensuring that children who have faced hardship, displacement, or economic barriers are given a real second chance to learn, grow, and build a dignified future.”
Guests later participated in an interactive tour, “Real learning from the classroom to the podium”, showcasing student-led STEM experiments, exhibitions, debates, flexible learning pathways, and an agriculture project.
The Assalam Schools were established in response to the increasing number of vulnerable children in Qatar, particularly those facing significant barriers to formal school enrolment. Key challenges include reaching children who are not officially registered in the education system and those who encounter obstacles to school entry. These barriers include exceeding the official age for grade enrollment, lacking required identification documents, and facing economic hardships. Since its inception, the schools have served more than 21,750 students of diverse nationalities.
In addition to academic education, the Assalam Schools provide students with health and psychological support, as well as non-traditional learning programs designed to enhance learning outcomes and bridge existing educational gaps.
The establishment of the Fourth Assalam School aligns with Qatar National Vision 2030, particularly its Human and Social Development pillars, by investing in education as a cornerstone of sustainable national development.
