Manama: Dr. Maryam Hasan Mustafa, Chief Executive of the Education and Training Quality Authority (BQA), emphasized that under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Bahrain continues to advance its education and training system through a vision focused on investing in national competencies as a cornerstone for sustainable development.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the authority issued its annual report on the performance of education and training institutions for the 2024-2025 academic year, providing analysis of institutions across various sectors, based on transparency, professionalism, and a commitment to supporting excellence and continuous improvement.
The report covered reviews of 76 public schools, 23 private schools, 22 kindergartens, 19 vocational training institutions, 15 higher education programs, and 10 higher education institutions. It also included 20 institutions and 105 national qualifications listed on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), in addition to 25 foreign qualifications.
The findings showed improvements in 24 public schools, while 45 maintained their previous ratings. Eleven private schools improved by one grade, and seven retained their prior ratings. The first official kindergarten reviews noted effective practices in learning environments, alongside recommendations to strengthen play-based learning.
Vocational training institutions maintained performance levels with greater awareness of quality assurance, while higher education programs reviewed received a ‘worthy of confidence’ judgment, reflecting progress in education quality and student support, with recommendations for stronger strategic planning.
On the NQF, 76% of licensed institutions are now listed, marking a 66% increase compared to last year. The number of national qualifications listed tripled year-on-year, with 105 national and 25 foreign qualifications included, enhancing integration and recognition.
The report also highlighted the results of national examinations. A total of 12,690 Grade 12 students from 38 public schools and 16 private schools that participated voluntarily, while 12,839 Grade 9 students from 62 public schools took part. Students demonstrated good understanding of core skills and knowledge across all subjects.
All performance reports for the 2024-2025 academic year are available on the authority’s website: www.bqa.gov.bh.