File photo used for representation
Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s private schools are set to add 6,883 seats across 46 schools under a package of new regulatory reforms unveiled by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, as part of efforts to create a more flexible investment environment, expand educational opportunities and support sustainable growth in the private education sector.
The measures were announced during the ministry’s first forum for owners of licences of private schools and kindergartens, held under the theme “Towards a Flexible Investment Environment... and Sustainable Quality Education.”
Director of the Private Schools and Kindergartens Department and Acting Director of the Private Schools Licensing Department Dr Rania Mohamed, said the new measures are designed to simplify transactions and reduce the administrative burden on investors and educational institutions.
Director of the Private Schools and Kindergartens Department and Acting Director of the Private Schools Licensing Department Dr Rania Mohamed
“As part of the reforms, the ministry has standardised the validity periods of all transactions and licences issued by government entities to align with the duration of the educational licence, which is valid for between three and five years. The ministry has also coordinated with the Ministry of Interior to make the traffic safety licence valid for three consecutive years instead of requiring annual renewal.”
She said that the ministry has also updated tuition fee categories while increasing the number of available seats in medium-fee schools under the first category by 18%. This has been made possible by reducing the required classroom space per student to 1.7 square metres.
According to Dr Rania, the adjustment will create 6,883 additional seats across 46 schools, including 688 free seats allocated to eligible students under social responsibility programmes. The measure is intended to increase capacity while maintaining access to private education for students benefiting from community support initiatives.
The ministry has also introduced greater flexibility in the recruitment of teachers and administrative staff. The previous requirement for schools to obtain prior ministry approval for candidate nominations has been abolished and replaced with an “declaration and undertaking” system.
Under the new arrangement, schools can directly select and recruit qualified candidates in accordance with approved requirements. The ministry will retain its supervisory role through field monitoring and verification to ensure that employees meet the required qualifications and adhere to national values, customs and traditions.
Another key initiative announced at the forum is the introduction of a new category of “Quality Schools” for institutions offering advanced educational environments, artificial intelligence technologies and international partnerships.
The ministry has established a framework under which tuition fees for these schools will be linked to their actual costs and the additional services they provide. The framework is based on 20 defined criteria, with schools that meet the criteria eligible for an incentive increase in basic tuition fees of up to 30%, depending on their level of compliance with the standards.
The new category is intended to provide a regulatory framework for schools that offer specialised and advanced educational models while linking tuition structures to the services and educational value they provide.
The ministry is also expanding the scope of educational vouchers available to Qatari students. Under the new arrangements, newly established schools will be allowed to benefit from educational vouchers as soon as they begin operations, starting from the 2027-2028 academic year, without having to wait for the completion of the previous period required for school accreditation.
Schools that move to new buildings will also be included in the educational voucher programme starting from the 2026-2027 academic year.
In addition, private kindergartens operating in standalone buildings will be brought under the educational voucher programme starting from the 2027-2028 academic year.
The measures also seek to balance institutional flexibility with continued government oversight of educational standards, staff qualifications and national values.
Through the new framework, the ministry is seeking to encourage private-sector participation in expanding educational capacity and improving the range of services available to students and families, while supporting the development of a sustainable and quality-focused private education sector.
