An Examination of the Qatari Licensure System: Giving Voice to Educators at Government-Funded Schools

Abstract

The issue of developing a comprehensive licensure system aligned with professional standards for teachers and school leaders has received considerable attention in recent years. As part of the Qatari educational reform in recent years, teachers and school leaders are held accountable to offer quality education for all students. The current study thus examined the experiences of educators in Qatar with the licensure process currently implemented at government-funded school. Using a survey study design, a total of 1,669 participants expressed their perceptions on the strengths and weaknesses of the licensure system, the professional standards, and the professional portfolio. Findings included participants' beliefs on the importance of the licensure system in improving their performance, the necessity of using the professional standards as tools for professional growth and development, and the importance of refining the professional portfolio for authenticity and reliability. Documenting teachers' and school leaders' voices was fundamental in finding ways to successfully drive future developments of the licensure system. The findings may also provide implications for other countries interested in developing or refining their own appraisal systems.

E-leadership of the school principals in implementing online learning during COVID-19 pandemic at public senior high schools

“…Professional teachers according to Jeanpierre et al (2005), Liakopoulou (2011), andAbu-Tineh et al (2017) are teachers who have competence in the aspects of the learning process and strategy; teachers who can understand the psychology of students; are able to motivate and pay attention to all students.…”

Career Advancement, Job Satisfaction, Career Retention, and Other Related Dimensions for Sustainability: A Perception Study of Qatari Public School Teachers

“…This quantitative study utilized the survey method as its research design. Based on the related literature [69,83,[92][93][94][95]. The present researchers developed the Career Advancement Survey (CAS) utilized in this study.…”

“…Abu-Tineh et al ( 2017) examined how educators in Qatar perceive professional standards in education. The investigation found that many teachers thought professional standards must be revised [83]. The standards were unclear and included details that were not needed.…”

“…Finally, Abu-Tineh, et al (2017) examined educators' views of the Qatar teacher licensure system [83]. The findings from the survey showed that participants think that the licensure system is essential for improving their performance and that using professional standards is necessary for professional growth and development.…”

Teaching Licensure and Education Quality: Teachers’ Perceptions

“…Although the broader reform initiative was discontinued nearly a decade later [27], the teaching licensure protocol remained an integral part of Qatar's teaching professionalism framework. However, there have been significant changes in the teaching licensure model in Qatar, with a temporary freeze period in between [29]. The original portfolio-based licensure model, which was initiated in 2008, was halted in 2015 due to opposition from the Qatari educational community, media coverage, and perceived incompatibility with local educational context and ideology [30].…”