Doha The Ministry of Education and Higher Education has launched an electronic service to activate the system of obtaining educational vouchers for Qatari students with disabilities, based on promoting equal educational opportunities and helping students achieve their potential in a comprehensive educational environment. Educational vouchers are divided into three levels based on the type and intensity of the required services. The total value of the voucher is QR 43,000 for the first support level, QR 53,000 for the second support level, and QR 78,000 for the third support level. Director of the Department of Special Education and Inclusive Education Fatima Al Saadi, stated that this service will begin at the start of the 2024-2025 academic year. She emphasized that the system offers several advantages, including flexible appointment scheduling, the ease of submitting applications electronically, simplified application steps, and the introduction of a new tab specifically for students with disabilities on the Ministry's main public services portal, "Maarif." Additionally, applications will be processed quickly and response to them will be within three working days of receipt. To ensure transparency and flexibility, the guardian can electronically schedule an interview with the Ministry's Evaluation Centre. During this interview, the student will be assessed to determine their needs and the level of educational voucher they are entitled to. The guardian will then have the freedom to select a suitable private school from those with national accreditation, using the same process currently used for public educational vouchers, she added. The educational vouchers cover various categories of persons with disabilities, namely persons with multiple disabilities, hearing disabilities, physical and motor disabilities, visual impairments and blindness, intellectual disabilities and their syndromes, as well as autism spectrum disorder. This service is part of the Ministry's strategic plan to develop education services for students with disabilities and their parents, in accordance with best practices in their care and education, and to achieve the highest levels of autonomy for students, as well as to stimulate the private sector to provide more comprehensive and specialized education services that support integration efforts. This support aligns with Qatar National Vision 2030, which emphasizes that the human development pillar requires providing an educational system comparable to the worlds best. It aims to offer high-quality educational and training opportunities tailored to the aspirations and abilities of every individual without exception. It is worth noting that Cabinet decision No. 25, issued on December 11, 2023, allocated a financial amount for Qatari students with disabilities, in addition to the original value of current educational vouchers. This decision aims to promote equal opportunities in providing resources and support, and grant various options for parents to enroll their children in programs and ed ucational environments that suit their needs and meet their aspirations. In this context, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education called on parents of students with disabilities to visit the "Maarif" portal to benefit from the service and apply for it, or call the hotline 155 in case of any inquiries. Source: Qatar News Agency