7/4/2020
Qatar Chamber’s Education Committee held a remote meeting to address obstacles facing the private education sector in view of the crisis of Corona.
The meeting was headed by the Committee’s Chairperson Mohamed bin Ahmed bin Twar Al Kuwari.
HE Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al-Nuaimi, undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, and Omar bin Abdul Aziz Al-Nemah, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of higher Education were also present.
The meeting touched on the reluctance of parents to pay remaining outstanding school fees for the current year 2019-2020 and the closure of educational centers and kindergartens, as well as the challenges facing the distance learning.
Attendees also reviewed the evaluation of schools in providing the distance learning process, which differentiated from ‘Excellent’ for some schools and ‘Pass’ for others.
The Ministry of Education had provided many options for private schools in the case of they failed to implement the process of distance learning such as providing parents with worksheets at the end of every week.
The meeting also discussed payment of school fees and lack of cash flow, as well as parent’s reluctance to pay fees, which had negative impacts on obligations of schools.
The committee called on the Ministry of Education to activate the continuous communication and coordination between parents and schools. It suggested that schools provide support for parents through exempting them from bus charges.
‘If bus charges were already collected, they will be transferred for next year,’ the committee proposed.
On his part, HE Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al-Nuaimi, undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, confirmed the Minister’s follow-up to all measures to overcome difficulties facing the private education sector.
Al-Nuaimi noted that the Ministry support the investments of the private sector, pointing out that the Ministry continues to communicate with UNESCO and other international organizations to explain the important role of the private schools in ensuring the continuation of the educational process in Qatar.
He urged private schools to take into account the current circumstances and conditions of families and parents, stressing the Ministry’s interest to support the private schools in its upcoming development plans.
Omar bin Abdul Aziz Al-Nemah, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of higher Education said that the Ministry made available all educational materials for private schools to use in the distance learning process.
He assured the Ministry and QC Education Committee are in continuing communication to provide support for education process in these circumstances and join hand to overcome obstacles and challenges facing the private education sector.
With regard to the closure of education centers, attendees said that it caused significant damage, noting that these centers in pressing need for the state’s support.
The meeting also discussed problems facing few kindergartens which are incapable of implementing the distance learning properly.
Attendees assured that the second term’s exams will not be cancelled but they will be online.
The meeting also reviewed the study prepared by the Chamber on the dangers and repercussions of Corona virus on the private sector in general and ways of taking advantages of it and keeping it in line with the study prepared by the Ministry on distance learning.
The study’s suggestions and recommendations are to be submitted to the concerned authorities in the state.
The meeting also witnessed the Committee’s initiative about providing technical support and to educational establishments that are not capable of providing distance learning.
The Committee stressed the importance of the Ministry’s support for private schools through accelerating the disbursement of educational vouchers to private schools to provide financial flows to support them during these current conditions.
Attendees emphasized the right of private schools in the school fees as long as the school has completed the educational process through the modern technologies of remote communication.
They said that this ensures the school’s ability to meet its financial obligations to pay employer’s salaries and other financial obligations.
هذه الصفحة متوفرة ايضاً باللغة: Arabic
