The cabinet has taken up the quality of education and efforts to upgrade its output so as to meet the goals set in the national strategy, reiterating its support for investment in education and training as long as it commits to quality standards and the government’s education policies in terms of sufficiency of institutions and specialties that meet present and future needs and ensures the quality of output in order to preserve the Kingdom’s pioneering position in all educational levels .
His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa chaired at the Gudaibiya Palace the regular weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday which approved the review reports issued by the Quality Assurance Authority for Education and Training (QAAET) on the performance of 30 schools, 14 training institutions and two higher education academic programmes.
The Cabinet also approved the results of the 2012 National Examinations for 3rd, 6th and 9th grades, decided to publish them, and was informed on the results of pilot National exams for grade 12.
In this regard, the cabinet endorsed a draft Decree re-structuring QAAET under which it will be renamed as the National Authority for Qualifications and Education and Training Assurance.
It will develop a national framework for qualifications and assurance of the quality of education and training, and set up special quality standards and measurement indices.
Then, the cabinet endorsed introducing the new e-Office project “Zajil”, run and supervised by its Secretariat-General, in order to enhance the electronic exchange of information and correspondences, in cooperation with the e-Government Authority, in line with the government’s policies aiming to spread the use of information technology in official transactions so as to ensure speed, and upon a memo presented by Deputy Premier and Chairman of the Supreme Committee for Information and Communication Technology (SCICT) Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa.
The first phase of new system will be used as a means of correspondence and communication between the Legislative and Executive branches during the third session of third legislative term and then will cover all ministries and state departments.
The cabinet also approved a new draft law on real estate registration, and another on restructuring the Supreme Council for Environment.
After that, the cabinet was informed by the Industry and Commerce Minister about the on-going preparations for hosting Jewellery Arabia 2012, to be held under the auspices of HRH Premier from October 16 to 20.
Regarding the cultural field, the cabinet reviewed a memo submitted by the Culture Minister on initiatives to boost cultural activities of Bahraini artists in theatre, plastic art and music.
Concerning civil aviation, the cabinet approved a draft law on fees, according to categories, and requested the concerned sides to take the necessary measures.
The cabinet also endorsed two agreements on avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income with Panama and Barbados and commissioned the Finance Minister to sign them on behalf of the Government of Bahrain.
During the same session, the cabinet also endorsed four proposals submitted by the Representatives Council on building a mosque in Bloc 721 in the Central Governorate, a maternity hospital in Riffa, a Centre for Treating and rehabilitating people injured in road accidents and a Girls Club in the Central Governorate’s 8th constituency.