NHRC asks schools to teach human rights Tuesday, 15 June 2010 01:50

The National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) asked the nation’s schools last week to enlist human rights in their teaching programmes, promising to provide school teachers with the necessary books.

In a binding decision, the commission said school teachers had to teach school students basic human rights and means of protecting them.

“Written materials, banners, and brochures will be given to the students to teach them about human rights,” a statement by the Secretary General of NCHR, Mariam Al Attia said.

It added that NCHR would hold several lectures and organise human rights competitions to create awareness on human rights.

Al Attia said a ceremony of the schools participating in the programme would be held soon to honour students who won prizes in human rights competitions.

“Students from Al Wajbah Preparatory School for Girls will be honoured during the celebration,” Al Attia said. She highlighted cooperation between NCHR and schools across Qatar, saying it was important for spreading the culture of human rights and raising national awareness about them. “Teachers have a pivotal role to play in spreading this culture,” Al Attia said. “Teachers are also requested to teach the students about NCHR and its activities,” she added.

She noted that the programme would, among other things, tackle school violence and its implications. She added that this programme achieved its goals of entrenching nationalist and human rights values.

“The programme tailors its instructions for every age group of students,” Al Attia said. “It is the first step on the way of ushering in a new generation of Qatari citizens who are committed to defending human rights,” she added.

She said 14 of the country’s schools have taken part in the programme till now.

The Peninsula