As part of its ongoing efforts to enhance the efficiency of regulatory procedures and develop the private education system in the State of Qatar, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOEHE) in Qatar has announced the launch of the “Advanced Licencing System for Private Schools and Kindergartens”, which represents a qualitative transformation of the education system and the supervision of the private education sector in the country, through the adoption of multi-year educational licences (3 to 5 years) instead of the current annual licensing system.
The advanced system is based on Law No. 23 of 2015 which aims to achieve the strategic direction of the State towards strengthening partnership with the private sector, supporting investment and expansion in the opening of private education facilities, inspiring private schools towards excellence and administrative stability, and reducing administrative and financial burdens on schools and the Ministry. The system focuses on extending the duration of the educational licence to three years for the basic licence and five years for the advanced licence, in place of the current short periods.
The system adopts an unprecedented structure, linking the duration of the licence to the school’s quality level. The basic educational licence (3 years) is granted to new and existing schools that meet all regulatory requirements, providing a reduction in cumulative payments to the investor of up to 59% over ten years, compared to the annual renewal system. Meanwhile, the advanced level educational licence (5 years) is granted to outstanding schools that demonstrate a stable and high-level performance, achieving a reduction in financial burdens of up to 80% over ten years.
To qualify for the five-year Advanced Licence, the school must meet strict quality standards that ensure compliance with national standards, including: obtaining a recognised national or international school accreditation, achieving a minimum of a “very good” assessment in the teaching proficiency of teachers of the three compulsory subjects (Arabic, Islamic Education, and Qatar History) in the last two inspection visits, achieving at least 70% job stability among the basic administrative and educational staff, and not having severe penalties imposed on the school over the previous two years.
To address the challenge of linking the licence to documents with annual validity (such as traffic department approvals and commercial registration), the Ministry has adopted a mechanism to ensure the continuity of safety and security requirements. This includes the renewal of the Civil Defence certificate, where the General Directorate of Civil Defence has announced that it is in the process of granting a five-year fire protection validity certificate, in addition to the inclusion of the annual compliance guarantee, where schools are obliged to sign a declaration of responsibility for the annual renewal of short-term licences. The mechanism also provides for technical supervision of the building, requiring consulting offices to submit a follow-up report on the security and safety of the building every 18 months to ensure compliance with safety standards.
The Ministry explained that this system is in line with regional and international best practices in regulating private education, through the adoption of flexible mechanisms for licencing and periodic monitoring, to promote a stable and competitive educational environment. Comprehensive comparative studies have been conducted based on leading international experiences in this field, to ensure the integration of the new system with national legislation and modern practices in the administration of private education.
The implementation of the system will cover all private schools and kindergartens according to a planned timeframe starting in October 2025. Basic licences will be granted gradually until December 2027, followed by the phase of granting advanced licences to distinguished schools from January 2026 until December 2030.
The Ministry emphasises that the “Advanced Licensing System” represents a new step towards a more stable and innovative educational environment, reflecting the country’s confidence in the private sector as a key partner in achieving the Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals in education.
