In a pioneering step toward fostering an inclusive and safe educational environment, the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), in collaboration with Sidra Medicine, has announced the successful completion of the second phase of the national Seizure Smart Schools Initiative for the 2024–2025 academic year. This milestone reflects the country’s steadfast commitment to a comprehensive vision for student health and safety.

This outstanding Initiative, which stands as a unique model of institutional partnership between the health and education sectors, has succeeded in raising community awareness about epilepsy and improving the readiness of the school system to respond to seizures with competence and compassionate care.

Significant Expansion and Tangible Impact

The second phase of the Initiative saw a notable expansion in both reach and impact, achieving the following:

• Training over 3,753 educators and school staff across 100 government schools on rapid response and safe seizure management techniques.
• Conducting innovative awareness sessions for more than 4,115 students, carefully designed to accommodate age differences and the psychological needs of learners.
• Delivering educational workshops to 563 parents to strengthen their understanding of epilepsy, prevention methods, and effective home support.

Assessment tools revealed a significant improvement in general knowledge about epilepsy, a sharp decline in misconceptions, and a rise in confidence among teachers and nurses in managing emergency situations. Parents also expressed deep satisfaction with the positive impact on their children’s awareness and behavior at school and home.

Promoting Student Leadership

One of the key achievements of this phase was the launch of the Student Ambassadors model, which empowered selected students to share awareness messages with their peers and families under the direct supervision of school health nurses. This model fostered a strong sense of social responsibility and helped break psychological barriers associated with the condition within the school environment. It also stands out as an innovative approach to promoting student leadership.

Building on the success of the first and second phases, PHCC is currently developing the Initiative through strategic pathways and an ambitious future vision. These plans include expanding the program to cover private and international schools, integrating epilepsy-related content into routine training programs for school staff, and launching digital awareness modules to ensure widespread access. Additionally, the Initiative seeks to enhance community partnerships with school councils and the media.

Efforts are also underway to document the experience scientifically in preparation for publishing in peer-reviewed journals and presenting it at international conferences as a pioneering model in school health.

A Message of Hope and Empowerment

Ultimately, the Seizure Smart Schools Initiative is more than just an awareness or training campaign—it represents a shift in school culture toward a more inclusive environment that embraces everyone without discrimination. It is an environment that believes awareness is the first line of defense and that empowering educators and students is the cornerstone of building a healthy, informed, and cohesive society.

With this achievement, Qatar continues to make steady progress toward becoming a global reference in innovating and applying best practices in supporting students with special health conditions, placing student safety and dignity at the heart of the educational process.