HERE in Qatar, education reform had been on the agenda well before Sept 11. But it was not until a month after the 2001 attacks that the most dramatic part of the overhaul got underway, when a team of experts arrived from Rand's California headquarters. The mission was clear: review the entire primary and secondary school system with an eye toward massive change.
“These changes are consistent with the emir's vision of the country,'' said Dominic Brewer, director of Rand's education unit and lead consultant on the Qatar project. “Changes like more openness in the economy, entrepreneurship and ultimately democracy require a population that's used to these things. This was the opportunity to really build a model school system, to combine the best elements from around the world.''
