Crown Prince Opens Bahrain Polytechnic
Isa Town, Bahrain: H.H. Sh. Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, Crown Prince and Chairman of the Economic Development Board, officially opened Bahrain Polytechnic today. Attending the opening ceremony were His Excellency Shaikh Mohammed Bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa the Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Education and Training Reform Committee, and members of the Education Reform Project Board.
The Bahrain Polytechnic is tasked with working with the private sector to design educational and training programmes commensurate with labour market requirements to create real employment opportunities for students upon graduation.
The initiative is a step forward in realizing the Economic Vision 2030 in the education sector, which calls on building a better future for each Bahraini by providing more and better training and education opportunities.
At the opening, His Highness the Crown Prince congratulated the management and staff of Bahrain Polytechnic, saying it will open new horizons for applied education in Bahrain. His Highness said the Education and Training Reform Committee thoroughly studied setting up a Polytechnic college on a scientific basis. Shaikh Salman added that concentrating on the Polytechnic education would help achieve the goals and ambitions to cater for the needs of the labour market and pump a more highly-skilled workforce into it.
The Deputy Prime Minister praised His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, the Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa and the Crown Prince for their support to the education initiatives in Bahrain.
“The academic programmes have been coordinated with international consultancy firms and the private sector in Bahrain. This will enable students to obtain their Bachelor Degrees and Higher Diploma qualifications, as well as providing them with technical skills and experience through vocational training in the big companies in Bahrain.”
Shaikh Mohammed called upon the private sector to help in providing training opportunities to the students, to help them gain more experience and skills to meet the labour market requirements. He said the strategies of the Polytechnic will be reviewed periodically in coordination with Newzealand ’s consultancy firm PINZ, which has helped establish and develop Polytechnics around the world.
Attending the Polytechnic opening were dignitaries from government agencies, guests from private sector companies, as well as the founding students and staff of the Polytechnic.
“Bahrain Polytechnic is a bold and visionary initiative” stated John Scott, Chief Executive of Bahrain Polytechnic, in his speech at the opening ceremony. “We have already established a 6 year strategic plan to ensure that the Polytechnic becomes one of the cornerstones of economic reforms in Bahrain, developing and delivering education programmes that meet the needs of Bahrain’s economy and its communities.”
“Planning is also underway, with the support of the Economic Development Board, for the redevelopment of the Isa Town Campus into a state-of-the-art learning environment, responsive to the needs of students and the community and reflective of work place expectations. These concepts for the new campus are based on providing world class facilities which reflect the Crown Prince’s vision for Bahrain Polytechnic,” said the Chief Executive.
After the opening speeches the Crown Prince unveiled a commemorative plaque and toured one of the Polytechnic’s buildings visiting several classrooms and offices. The Crown Prince took the opportunity to speak with students and staff about his goals and hopes for Bahrain Polytechnic.
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Notes to the Editors:
About Bahrain Polytechnic
Bahrain Polytechnic is a part of the National Education Reform initiative being implemented by the Economic Development Board of Bahrain (EDB).
The National Education Reform Initiatives are a comprehensive cross-government effort under the Chairmanship of H.E. the Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Labour, the Economic Development Board and other key stakeholders from both the public and private sectors, and civil society.
The education reform is focused on four main initiatives: creating a Polytechnic to cater to the needs of a dynamic labor market; developing the quality of our teachers; setting up an independent Quality Assurance Authority to conduct reviews of all education institutes and set national school examinations; and developing secondary vocational education to offer more applied and practical learning to students.
Bahrain Polytechnic is owned and funded by the Bahrain Government.
Bahrain Polytechnic was established by the National Education Reforms Project Board to meet the needs of the economy and school leavers. The National Education Reforms Project Board identified the need for additional education and training provision in Bahrain that:
• is work relevant
• is applied and professional technical education at the diploma and degree level
• spans a range of subject disciplines linked to the needs of the economy
• is student-focused to maximise student energy and motivation
• ensures high levels of success and achievement
The creation of the Polytechnic is part of wider changes to diversify and develop the Bahrain economy. A highly skilled and flexible labour force is an essential component of this strategy. Building on the educational platform already established in Bahrain, the Polytechnic will benefit the economy by graduating Bahrainis with applied technical and professional qualifications to meet increasing demand created by growth in current and emerging industries.
Bahrain Polytechnic graduates will be work-ready; they will be confident and competent, aware of what is expected of them in the professional world and be able to perform to their full potential. Consequently there is a major focus in all Bahrain Polytechnic qualifications on team-work, communication, English language, problem solving and critical thinking skills, and work ethic.
The programmes provided by the Polytechnic have been developed in consultation with business, industry, professions and international education and training institutions. Qualifications are focused on four-year Bachelor Degrees and three year Higher Diplomas.
Bahrain Polytechnic has a commitment to student-centred learning. Learning at Bahrain Polytechnic is based on the application of new knowledge in real life situations and the development of students’ critical thinking and lateral problem solving skills. The Polytechnic’s Academic Plan is designed to ensure graduates meet the labour market needs.
Visit www.polytechnic.bh for more information.
The Economic Vision 2030
Vision 2030 is a comprehensive economic vision for Bahrain providing a clear direction for the continued development of our economy and at its heart is a shared goal of building a better life for every Bahraini. Vision 2030 has been developed over the course of four years in consultation with over 300 Bahrainis from the private sector academia and the public sector. The country’s future economic prosperity relies on our ability to respond to the challenges and opportunities presented by the world around us
For media inquiries:
Isa Mubarak
National Communications Manager
Economic Development Board
Tel: 17 589857
Email: IsaMubarak@bahrainedb.com
BahrainMedia@bahrainedb.com