DOHA: Qatar is mulling making it optional for its women to attend a national service programme, which is mandatory for men.
For women volunteers, special training programmes will be put in place after careful studies.
The national service spanning a few months of camp stay for young men, includes training in the use of weapons, self-defence and discipline.
The first batch of university graduates successfully completed their training yesterday in Al Shamal. It was for three-months.
A permanent training centre for the National Service is being built, but until the time it is ready, the training will continue to be provided in Al Shamal. Some 2,000 young Qatari men comprised the first-ever batch. The second batch, consisting of university and high school students, will begin its training as part of the National Service after Ramadan.
This was disclosed by the Minister of State for Defence Major-General H E Hamad bin Ali Al Attiyah, at a ceremony held to mark the completion of the first batch of National Service cadets.
Al Attiyah told Qatar News Agency in reply to a question that the participants of the National Service Programme would be recalled once a year for refresher training courses.
Meanwhile, one of the participants, Abdullah Salem Al Sulaiteen told QNA that the training was a wonderful experience for him as he had not only learnt handling weapons but also a great deal of self-control and discipline.
“Tens of thousands of Qatari youth are eager to attend the National Service,” he said.
Several others expressed similar sentiments. “It is a new life for me,” was how another Qatari youth, Naif Zameel Sayyaf, commented.
Yet another participant, Awadh Al Ahbabi, said that in the past three months, at the National Service Camp in Al Shamal, he had picked up several key skills.
“The training is going to help us in leadership skills and defence,” he said. Faisal Mohamed said that as part of first batch of National Service cadets, he and the others came mentally and physically prepared for the training. “We have learnt to be self-reliant in these three months of training,” was how still another participant, Abdul Ghani Ali Mohamed commented. “The training has taught us to be accountable and responsible”.
Fahad Al Marri was equally excited and said that it was a unique experience for him to be at the camp with so many different fellow Qatari youth for three months.The Peninsula
