CCQ offers a ray of hope for high school dropouts

MANEESH BAKSHI

DOHA FROM 11 graduates last year to 132 this year, the Community College of Qatar (CCQ) has taken a big leap forward in just one year. This has made the college’s officials proud as the institution is offering a ray of hope for high school dropouts.

CCQ’s Associate Dean for Student Services Cheryl Johnson, for example, considers the 12-time increase in the number of graduates as a major accomplishment for the college in a short span of time.

But, for Abdullah Haroon al Ali, one of the 132 students graduating from the Community College Qatar (CCQ) this year, the College is a new hope for high school dropouts. Abdullah was one among the class of 34 male and 98 female students to receive the Associate Degree after completing a two-year course in the stream of Arts.

“I am thrilled at this moment holding my degree in my hands. It has been a challenging but satisfying journey at the college and I am happy to be able to prove myself after a gap of several years”, Abdullah told Qatar Tribune minutes after receiving his degree at a graduating ceremony held recently.

Earlier, in his remarks on behalf of the graduating class 2013, Abullah said, “I completed my high school way back in 2001 but for some reasons, I did not continue my studies after that.

In fact, I had lost all hopes of continuing higher studies before CCQ appeared on the scene.” He added, “CCQ opened its doors for Qatari ex-students like me and provided us an opportunity to pursue our goals of acquiring higher education.” Recounting his experiences during a trip to Houston Community College, he said, “Besides being a fun trip, it provided us an opportunity to experience the foreign perspective and culture and broaden our viewpoints. I found the academic atmosphere in foreign universities extremely agile and vibrant.” According to Abdullah, the universities in Qatar have a long way to go to match the standards of US universities so far as academic atmosphere is concerned.

He, however, added that Qatar has made the right beginning in education and positive outcomes will follow.

Already managing his business, Abdullah has to strike a balance between his professional commitments and his role as a student in the college. He aspires to go to either the US or the UK for advance studies in the field of marketing so that he could turn his company, into a global conglomerate.

Community College Qatar was established in 2010 with an objective to provide highest standards in education and quality services in collaboration with the dedicated team of teachers from Houston Community College, USA. The College at present is devoted to serving only Qatari nationals.