Qatar Red Crescent Society’s (QRCS) School Programme, implemented in co-operation with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, has been resumed for the second semester of the academic year 2020-2021 at public and private schools. 
Huda Abdullatif Hamdan, the programme’s manager, said: “As the social distancing procedures are eased during the 2nd semester, allowing 50% attendance of students and teachers, the classroom training workshops will be resumed gradually at schools, while continuing to offer online workshops.”
The workshops covered diverse topics, such as diaries of a healthy student, first aid and injury care, informative lectures on how to deal with flu and other communicable diseases, Covid-19 and vaccination, and awareness against cancer.
“All safety and preventive measures are observed under the QRCS School Programme,” said Hamdan.
In August 2020, teachers and administrative staff at schools were trained in Covid-19 preventive measures while receiving and dealing with the students. Over the 1st semester, training courses were held for 3,564 participants (students, teachers, administrative staff, safety and security committees, school supervisors, boards of trustees, bus supervisors, security staff, and parents).
Overall, 173 schools benefited from the programme, including 100 public schools that received certified specialist training and 73 public and private schools that received informative training. Among the topics discussed were preventive behaviour against Covid-19 in the new school lifestyle, first aid, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. In pursuit of the social distancing policy, awareness videos were posted on YouTube under the title of My Health, My Protection.
The lessons covered a wide range of topics, such as: precautionary measures to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic, introducing the coronavirus (symptoms, transmission, and prone groups), how to protect oneself and others, washing hands (when, how, and why), respiratory health (coughing and sneezing etiquette, nose and mouth cleansing, and staying indoors), safe masks (what a mask is, types, when and how to use, and disposal), physical distancing at school (importance, rules, and benefits), and dealing with symptoms in case of coronavirus infection (difficulty breathing, fever, cough, and seeking help by calling 16000).
In collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education’s Training and Educational Development Center, QRCS held a series of first-aid and CPR workshops for 109 administrative and supervisory staff at 107 public schools.