Zakat Fund spends over QR33.5mn on tuition fees project

The assistance provided by the Department of Zakat Fund of the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs to the families entitled to tuition fees during the academic year ending 2018/2019 amounted to more than QR33.5mn, benefiting 3, 406 students.The fund explained that these amounts are paid only to eligible families who have students enrolled in various levels of education within the country and in accordance with the rules and regulations of Shariah.Head of Zakat Banking Department, Faiz Moazzi al-Shammari, said that the fund’s management has an office for the project. He pointed out that these aids are disbursed according to the fees approved by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, and not exceeding QR12,000 for primary students, QR15,000 for middle school students, QR18,000 for secondary students and QR20,000 for the students at university, without a maximum limit for students in special needs centres.Al-Shammari said that the Zakat Fund Administration receives applications for family assistance in tuition fees for students enrolled in private schools and universities in Qatar for the new academic year 2019-2020 from September.The documents required to open the file of assistance include a valid residence permit, a salary certificate for the student’s guardian from the employer, a bank account statement, a stock exchange account, a certificate from the Traffic Department for owned cars, a lease agreement, a Kahramaa invoice, a certificate of indebtedness if any, Qatar Credit Bureau disclosure, as well as other documents relating to study, fees and medical documents for people with disabilities.The head of the Zakat Banking Department pointed out that it is not possible to assist university students who are eligible and resident of Qatar who are educated abroad, since the regulations governing the work of the Zakat Fund are concerned only with providing assistance to eligible families within Qatar only.The Family Assistance Office in the Zakat Fund receives applications throughout the school year to allow eligible families to receive assistance, especially with the timing of the school year in some schools in the country. The committee holds meetings twice a week to consider the files submitted and the approval of the aid to the beneficiaries.