Training Programmes
Explore the Institute’s Training Pathways
The Institute delivers accredited strategic programmes that lead to a professional certificate, together with shorter supporting programmes that run from three to ten days. Training combines in person sessions, e-learning and on-the-job learning.
Programme Catalogue
Browse the Strategic Programmes
School Leadership Program
This two-year program targets assistant school principals from various government schools in the Sultanate of Oman.
Arabic
4 Topics
2 Years
Advanced School Leadership Program
This one-year program is designed for school principals from various government schools in the Sultanate of Oman.
Arabic
2 Topics
1 Year
Educational Supervision Experts Program
This two-year program, comprised of four training modules, targets Omani subject supervisors seconded to educational supervision positions within the Ministry of Education.
Arabic
4 Topics
2 Years
Supporting Supervisory Positions Program
This year-and-a-half-year program consists of three training modules and targets supervisors in supporting supervisory positions within government schools, such as social guidance, learning resources, science labs, and career counseling.
Arabic
3 Topics
18 Months
School Administration Supervisors Program
This one-year program, consisting of two training modules, targets Omani school administration supervisors assigned to supervisory roles.
Arabic
2 Topics
1 Year
Lead Teachers Program
A two-year program consisting of four training modules, targeting lead teachers in public schools.
Arabic
4 Topics
2 Years
Programme for New Teachers
Among the Institute's strategic certified programmes is the Professional Practices Diploma for Educators, delivered through the New Teachers Programme.
Arabic
2 Topics
1 Year
Mathematics Experts Program
This two-year program, consisting of four training modules, aims to empower Omani mathematics teachers of grades 5-12 to lead the improvement of mathematics teaching and learning in their schools.
Arabic
4 Topics
2 Years
English Language Experts Program
This 18-month program consists of three training modules and is designed for English language teachers with at least three years of teaching experience across all levels of school education.
English
3 Topics
18 Months
Arabic Language Experts Program (Grades 1-4)
This is a strategic program that offers a professional certificate (Diploma in Professional Practices) in developing and raising the level of specialized professional competencies for teachers of the first field in government schools for the subject "I Love My Language" for grades 1-4 in the Sultanate of Oman.
Arabic
4 Topics
2 Years
Arabic Language Experts Program (Grades 5-12)
This 18-month program comprises three training modules and aims to develop teachers' professional, subject-specific, and creative competencies in teaching Arabic to students in grades 5-12.
Arabic
3 Topics
18 Months
Science Experts Program
This two-year program targets science teachers from grades 5-12, through four integrated training modules based on the latest evidence-based educational practices and international standards.
Arabic
4 Topics
2 Years
Field Two Experts Program (Science and Mathematics Teachers in Cycle 1)
This two-year program, consisting of four training modules, targets Field Two teachers in schools in the Sultanate of Oman.
Arabic
4 Topics
2 Years
Supporting Programmes
Supporting Training Programmes
Supporting training programmes run for 3 to 10 days and concentrate on subject content, teaching methodologies, educational assessment, and the use of technology in education.
Supporting training programmes run for 3 to 10 days and concentrate on subject content, teaching methodologies, educational assessment, and the use of technology in education. They are built to strengthen the competencies of education professionals and target specific groups — teachers, supervisors, school administrators, and support staff. These short programmes fall into two categories by place of delivery: centralised programmes, planned by the Ministry of Education Headquarters and delivered at the Specialised Institute for Professional Training of Teachers; and decentralised programmes, managed by the Professional Training Departments in each educational governorate to meet local needs and add flexibility to the training effort.
Supporting programmes can also be grouped by purpose:
Remedial programmes
Address a specific problem or identified weakness in the target group's performance, built on clearly established training needs.
Developmental programmes
Introduce the target group to the latest developments and emerging trends in their field, whether in education generally or in their own specialisation.
Enrichment programmes
Build on existing skills, knowledge, and competencies among the target group, spanning both educational and academic areas.
The most prominent supporting training programmes include:
Advanced Skills in E-Learning Programme
Aimed at teachers, school principals and their assistants, and educational supervisors, this programme is delivered through the approved learning platforms designated for each group. It combines a series of sessions on the effective use of digital tools and e-learning resources to improve the quality of education for Omani students, together with practical applications for school leaders and supervisors managing teaching and learning in remote settings. The goal is to raise awareness of e-learning’s importance in all its forms, build advanced e-learning skills, and strengthen the technical capabilities of the training teams established across Omani schools.
Science and Mathematics Series Programme
This programme trains educational supervisors and teachers on the Science and Mathematics Series curricula across all grade levels, introducing them to the curriculum’s philosophy, content, and practical applications, including the modelling of classroom lessons based on the curriculum.
English Language Series Training Programme
Designed for supervisors and teachers at every educational stage, this programme familiarises participants with the philosophy, theories, and objectives of the international English language series. It builds skills in formative assessment for measuring outcomes, develops teaching strategies and methods suited to the series, and offers applied models for teaching reading, writing, listening, and speaking — along with skills aligned with the demands of the future.
Professional Learning Communities Programme
This programme promotes a culture of professional learning communities to improve teaching practice and instil the value of collaboration among teachers. It targets trainers from the professional training divisions across the educational governorates, along with senior teachers and teachers more broadly. Its aims are to build a professional learning community within each school that spans different specialisations, to carry out tasks through working teams within that community to improve student learning, and to share the resulting work and achievements with communities in other governorates. Training covers several themes: the concept, objectives, and importance of professional learning communities; the value of teamwork; designing an action plan for such a community; the role of learning walks in improving classroom practice; and applying professional learning community protocols.
Higher-Order Thinking Skills Programme
Targeting senior teachers and teachers, this programme develops their ability to teach higher-order thinking skills across knowledge domains. It covers identifying and formulating sample thinking questions at the three cognitive levels, analysing student answers from various tests, developing reasoning, inquiry, and problem-solving skills, using electronic applications to support higher-order thinking, and setting an action plan for a professional learning community in this field. Training themes include building examination vocabulary and classroom questions, analysing student answers to thinking questions, inquiry and higher-order thinking, and electronic applications that support these skills.
Kindergarten Teacher Preparation Programme
The Institute ran a specialised programme for female graduates holding a bachelor’s degree in education (Pre-school Child / Kindergarten / Early Childhood Education), preparing them for appointment as First Field teachers in government schools. It ran from 22 August 2021 to 3 February 2022 as part of the operational initiative addressing outcomes in these specialisations and was delivered in two phases: six weeks of centralised, direct training, followed by decentralised training comprising one week of distance learning, two weeks of field training, and fifteen weeks of distance learning with workplace-based tasks. In total, 82 session preparers and 132 trainers took part, delivering 115 training sessions and 185 training hours over 24 weeks. A total of 148 female teachers graduated for Cycle One basic education schools in the First Field specialisation, distributed across six governorates: Muscat, Dhofar, Al Dakhiliyah, South Al Batinah, South Al Sharqiyah, and Musandam. Appointment decisions for those who passed the appointment examination were issued on 20 February 2022, allowing them to join the Ministry of Education as Cycle One, First Field teachers.
Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) Programme
PIRLS is an international assessment held every five years to measure Grade 4 students’ reading achievement in their mother tongue, examining reading comprehension, text analysis, extraction of meaning, and the thinking skills students bring to reading. Oman has taken part since 2011 and has continued in every subsequent cycle, reflecting its commitment to developing students’ reading skills and raising the quality of education in line with international standards. Participation allows Oman to benchmark student performance against other countries and identify strengths and opportunities for improvement in reading instruction — feeding back into curriculum development, teaching methods, and students’ comprehension and higher-order thinking skills. To prepare schools and teachers for the study, the Specialised Institute has run dedicated training for Arabic language, First Field teachers responsible for Grade 4 in participating schools, covering the study’s objectives and implementation, alongside strategies for developing reading skills, reading comprehension, and higher-order thinking. Oman’s results improved markedly between the 2011 and 2016 cycles, with average student performance rising from 391 to 418 points — a statistically significant gain attributed to the combined effect of national efforts across curriculum development, professional development programmes, and stronger teaching practices supporting reading and higher-order thinking. The Specialised Institute continues to offer this programme as part of its professional development plans for as long as Oman takes part in the study.
Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) Training Programme
TIMSS is among the most prominent global assessments, held every four years to measure student achievement in mathematics and science at Grades 4 and 8. Oman has participated since 2003 and has taken part in every cycle through 2023, a consistent record that reflects its commitment to using the study’s findings to raise education quality, develop curricula in line with international standards, and keep pace with global benchmarks. Participation lets Oman compare the quality of its education system with other countries and pinpoint strengths and weaknesses, feeding into curriculum development, improved teaching methods, and stronger teacher performance. Teachers and supervisors are central to delivering the study, and the Institute has run intensive training to familiarise them with its objectives and tools, the electronic test administration process, and the supervision and monitoring needed during implementation in schools — all of which support data quality and accurate delivery. To sustain this work and ensure teachers keep developing students’ higher-order thinking skills in science and mathematics, the Specialised Institute has run the Higher-Order Thinking Skills Programme since 2021 as part of its professional development plan, targeting senior teachers and teachers in science, mathematics, and First and Second Field specialisations. The programme develops higher-order thinking skills across knowledge domains — reasoning, inquiry, and problem-solving in particular — while encouraging teachers to build a professional learning community and improve student results in international assessments. Delivered both centrally and locally, it was extended to all educational governorates in 2025 as part of the Institute’s package of sustainable programmes.