Doha, April 29 2013- Qatar Solar Technologies (QSTec) and SolarWorld AG today signed a memorandum of understanding with the Educate A Child (EAC) programme that was launched in November 2012 to bring quality primary education to millions of out of school children.

The partnership is focused on working together in applications of solar energy, to allow for the donation of solar panels to selected schools in specific countries. It will also aim to provide affordable renewable energy for schools in selected countries and other solutions in the renewable energy sector.

The memorandum of understanding was signed at a High-level Strategic Meeting in Doha focused on accelerating progress towards attaining the second Millennium Development Goal of universal primary education by the end of 2015.

At the meeting, Educate A Child announced several memorandums of understanding and agreements with a range of organisations, including private sector and NGOs. Working with such a diverse range of partners allows EAC to catalyse innovative learning solutions for the world's hardest-to-reach children - those affected by extreme poverty, conflict, natural disaster and prejudice.

"QSTec and SolarWorld AG are proud to support this important initiative," said Dr Khalid Klefeekh Al Hajri, QSTec's Chairman and CEO. "Educating our youth and providing new opportunities for learning is a significant challenge for many people living in remote communities.  By working with EAC to provide solar energy solutions for schools, we aim to create an environment that facilitates innovative learning for communities in areas that otherwise don't have access to online education tools, internet connectivity or reliable electricity supplies.  QSTec and SolarWorld congratulate the EAC on their outstanding efforts in expanding education across the world and we look forward working with them in bringing solar energy to schools." 

Mary Joy Pigozzi, Director of Educate A Child said: "We are delighted to be working with Qatar Solar Technologies and SolarWorld AG because of the rich wealth of experience they bring to the area of solar energy. Working with QSTec and SolarWorld AG will bring us a new level of technological expertise, and help EAC to apply innovative solutions to learning. EAC has supported over 600,000 out of school children into learning in its first months of operation. We are confident that by building this new level of collaboration, with partners such Qatar Solar Technologies and SolarWorld AG, we will be able to reach millions more in the coming years."

Following the signature of this memorandum of understanding, the partners are finalising details of a full partnership agreement, which is expected to be signed in the coming months.

About Qatar Solar Technologies: 
Qatar Solar Technologies (QSTec), with a vision to become a world leading integrated solar energy company is a joint venture formed between Qatar Solar (a wholly owned subsidiary of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development), SolarWorld AG and Qatar Development Bank. QSTec's US$1Bn polysilicon manufacturing plant, located in Ras Laffan Industrial City, will initially produce 8,000 MTPA polysilicon for use in the solar industry before vertically integrating along the solar value chain. QSTec's has acquired the advanced second generation technology for solar grade polysilicon production from Centrotherm Photovoltaics of Germany.

Qatar Solar Technologies (QSTec) has already been internationally recognised as a solar leader within the region. In 2013 QSTec was awarded the Leaders International Award for Leadership in Global Solar Technology, in 2012 New Economy Magazine's Clean Tech and New Energy Award Best Emerging Renewable Energy Company, and in 2011 Best Joint Venture (Middle East/Africa) at a ceremony at the London Stock Exchange.

Educate A Child is a global programme launched by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser of Qatar in November 2012. It aims to significantly reduce the number of children worldwide missing out on their fundamental right to education.

Educate A Child is working with partner organisations to support innovative methods of bringing education to hard-to-reach children, especially those affected by poverty, conflict, and natural disaster.

With less than 1000 days until the deadline for the Millennium Development goals, there are still over 60 million children across the world who are out of school. EAC is working to accelerate progress towards that goal and beyond.

The High level Strategic Meeting in Doha on 28-30 April 2013 brought together ministers from countries that together represent over 60% of the global population of school children, with a range of partners committed to finding innovative solutions to obstacles that still exist.

Sheikha Moza bint Nasser is UNESCO Special Envoy on Basic and Higher Education, a United Nations Millennium Development Goal Advocate, and Steering Committee member of UN Secretary-General Ban KI-moon's Education First Initiative.

For more information please visit www.educateachild.org.qa.

For more information and interviews, please contact:
Craig Field
Corporate Communications Specialist
Qatar Solar Technologies
Email: cfield@qstec.com
Phone: +974 4454 6668
www.qstec.com

© Press Release 2013