Doha: The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOEHE) concluded the 6th edition of the Reading Olympiad and the 9th season of the Arab Reading Challenge during an educational celebration attended by HE Undersecretary of the MOEHE Ibrahim bin Saleh Al Nuaimi, representatives from the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), a number of ministry officials, school principals, and a large audience of students.
According to Qatar News Agency, the ceremony also honored student Ghala Abdullah Al Hajri from Al Khwarizmi Elementary School for Girls, who achieved first place in both the Reading Olympiad and the Arab Reading Challenge. This double achievement reflects her distinction in the fields of reading and self-learning, serving as a role model for school students in the State of Qatar.
Director of the Curriculum and Learning Resources Department at the MOEHE Sarah Al Sharim emphasized that the Reading Olympiad has witnessed a qualitative development represented by its integration with the Arab Reading Challenge initiative, making it one of the qualifying tracks for the final rounds at the Arab world level. She praised the increasing participation from schools and students year after year, which reflects a growing awareness of the importance of reading as a gateway to self-learning and academic excellence.
She pointed out that school libraries and learning resource centers are supportive and stimulating educational environments that contribute to enhancing critical thinking skills and independent learning, constituting a fundamental pillar for achieving academic achievement and developing students’ integrated personalities in light of rapid changes.
The event has witnessed remarkable development since its launch, with the participation of 1,103 male and female students from 207 schools during the first session (2019/2020), reaching 177,197 male and female students from 382 schools in the current session (2024/2025). This marks a clear indication of the efforts made to consolidate the culture of reading in the school community.
The ceremony included honoring the top five students in each educational category in the Reading Olympiad, the top ten students in the Arab Reading Challenge, and people of determination, in a festive atmosphere that reflected pride and appreciation for the students’ achievements.
This closing ceremony is the culmination of a journey of continuous work to spread the culture of reading and enhance linguistic and cognitive awareness, supporting the Sustainable Development Goals and contributing to the achievement of Qatar National Vision 2030.
The Arab Reading Challenge initiative, launched by the MBRGI, aims to instill a culture of reading in Arabic and develop mechanisms for comprehension and self-expression in fluent Arabic. The Reading Olympiad is a prominent national initiative that contributes to the development of students’ intellectual and educational skills.