Qatar widens NZ help to modernise system

NCEA may have put education under fire at home, but overseas the schooling system is attracting growing attention.

Multi Serve Education Trust has signed a new deal with officials in Qatar to mentor seven Qatari schools through a 16-month process of modernisation and decentralisation.

The agreement comes just a year after the New Zealand-based education service provider began mentoring an initial five schools to self-management, as part of the Middle Eastern country's wide-ranging programme of reforms.

The organisation is also running a training programme for 150 Qatari teachers seeking to work in their country's newly decentralised schools.

Also, Auckland-based Multi Serve is to offer a leadership programme for school operators and principals, reflecting the broader role required of them under self-management, independence and a more pupil-centred approach.

The Qatari authorities see educational change as a key component in their reform programme.

"Autonomy, accountability, parental choice and diversity are all important elements in lifting educational standards and helping young Qataris participate in the global economy," said Jo Mullins, Multi Serve's director of education operations international.

The expanded role was a sign of the confidence Qatar authorities had in the hard-working and flexible New Zealand approach, she said.

As a result of the agreement, the size of Multi Serve's team in Qatar is expected to rise from 18 to 31 over the next couple of months.

The experience from New Zealand's own transition to educational self-management, following the publication of Tomorrow's Schools in 1989, will be heavily leaned upon.

"We are breaking new ground for New Zealand's education sector in Qatar, demonstrating that we can successfully export a very high level of educational management expertise to an extremely affluent market in a very important region," Ms Mullins said.

Founded in 1989, Multi Serve is an independent charitable trust offering services including professional development for staff, training for boards of trustees, support in management and curriculum development. Profits go towards benefiting New Zealand schools.