Al rayan: The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOEHE) inaugurated the Annual School Theater Festival 2025, organized by the Arts and Theater Department of the Educational Guidance Department, at U Venue Theater Al Rayan. The festival was launched under the patronage of HE Minister of Education and Higher Education Lolwah bint Rashid bin Mohammed Al Khater, and saw the attendance of ministry leaders, department directors, section heads, and various educational staff.
According to Qatar News Agency, this year's festival operates under the theme "school theater ... nation's pulse," which highlights the significance of theater in fostering personal development, creativity, and a sense of identity and belonging among students. This initiative aligns with the ministry's commitment to supporting arts as a vital educational pathway within schools.
Maryam Al Numan, Director of the Educational Guidance Department, stated that educational theater is a crucial educational platform that merges art with learning, transforming educational objectives into experiential life situations for students. She stressed the importance of theater education as a subject with defined standards aimed at developing skills in expression, teamwork, communication, and audience engagement, while also promoting citizenship, belonging, and cooperation through compelling artistic performances.
Al Numan added that the festival serves as a platform for talent discovery and development, offers opportunities for experience exchange among schools, teachers, and students, and demonstrates theater's role in instilling values of beauty, goodness, and respect.
The event began with a national heritage performance by Khawla Bint Al Azwar Primary School for Girls, signaling the start of final competitions running until Nov. 27. The competitions involve eight schools that advanced from the 16 participating in preliminary rounds starting Nov. 10.
Each day features performances by three schools, except for the day before the closing ceremony, which includes performances by two schools. A specialized committee of prominent artists and educational theater experts will evaluate entries based on criteria such as performance quality, script, direction, and scenography to select the top eight performances.
Through this festival, MOEHE reaffirms its dedication to nurturing the arts within educational settings and enhancing students' personal and creative development in line with Qatar National Vision 2030, which aims to establish a knowledge-based and creative society.