HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad chairs SCYS meeting reviewing national youth, sports initiatives
His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Representative of His Majesty the King for Humanitarian Work and Youth Affairs and Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports (SCYS), chaired a meeting of the SCYS, where several national initiatives and strategic reports where discussed.
His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the First Deputy Chairman of the SCYS, President of the General Sports Authority (GSA), and President of the Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC), was present.
HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad emphasised the SCYS’s commitment to developing comprehensive and sustainable policies in the fields of youth and sports, and to advancing initiatives that empower Bahraini youth to build their skills and channel their energies towards serving the nation’s future and strengthening its regional and international standing.
Yusuf bin Abdulhussain Khalaf, Minister of Legal Affairs, reviewed the findings of the team studying the mechanism for distributing university seats, which emphasised the importance of aligning education outcomes with labour market needs. The study highlighted the need to focus on the most sought-after specialisations and to review the criteria for evaluating academic programmes and study their feasibility before approving them, to ensure their efficiency and quality.
The recommendations also included the introduction of a transitional year between school and university to increase students' awareness of their academic and professional inclinations, in addition to strengthening career guidance from an early stage and ensuring that data and statistics are updated periodically to keep pace with developments in the labour market.
Based on that, HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad directed that these recommendations be submitted to Dr. Mohammed bin Mubarak Juma, Minister of Education and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Higher Education Council, for consideration and to take the necessary action.
Dr. Juma reviewed the Sports Schools Project for the 2025 - 2026 academic year, which aims to assign a specific sport to each school and provide a comprehensive training and educational programme focused on developing academic and athletic skills related to that sport.
Dr. Juma explained that the project aims to ease students' physical and mental abilities from an early age by providing a balanced educational and sporting environment that includes proper nutrition, specialised training and the use of existing school facilities, ensuring inclusive participation between the genders in different educational areas.
HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad congratulated the launch of the Model Sports Schools Project, underscoring that the project is a strategic step towards building an integrated generation capable of excelling in sports and academics. His Highness stressed the importance of integrating efforts to ensure the project's success and achieve its national objectives.
Sameer Abdullah Nass, the Chairman of the Bahrain Chamber for Commerce and Industry, delivered a presentation on the fourth edition of the Community Partnership Programme ‘Try To Work’, explaining that the programme aims to develop career paths and hone the skills of school students aged 15 to 18, by training them in private sector companies, in tracks that include investment in stocks, engineering and technical innovation, leadership and entrepreneurship, and content creation. He noted that the programme aims to enhance creativity and entrepreneurial thinking, provide career guidance and mentoring, and equip young people with practical skills that meet the requirements of the labour market.
Based on what was presented, the Council directed the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry to continue its efforts and increase the number of participants in the programme, to make the ‘Try To Work’ a national model for empowering young people.
In line with the strategic plans of the Youth Empowerment Committee in the public and private sectors, the Ministry of Works reviewed its projects for Bahraini youth, highlighting its continued efforts through the Innovation and Excellence Committee to enhance the participation of young cadres in developing the work environment and building their professional capabilities, thereby contributing to the establishment of a culture of innovation and institutional excellence.
The Ministry also seeks to strengthen communication between senior leadership and young cadres and encourage the exchange of ideas and experiences, reflecting the Ministry's commitment to empowering young people to be a key driver of innovation and excellence in government work and to contribute effectively to shaping the future work of the Ministry.
The Council commended the Ministry of Works' initiative to establish a youth committee, as it is the first government agency to take this pioneering step in supporting and empowering young people. The Council also urged other authorities to establish youth committees concerned with empowering young people, given the important role these committees play in promoting youth participation and enabling them to achieve their goals.
