* Private schools, KGs allowed to choose between blended and remote learning

 

The Private Education Affairs Sector at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) announced that it would allow the resumption of activities for licensed and valid educational and training centres, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported on Saturday.

This is based on the recent Cabinet decision issued regarding the latest developments and steps taken to limit the spread of Covid-19, depending on several conditions. It allows licensed and valid private educational and training centres to provide their services at a maximum 30% of the capacity, provided that all employees who start work in these centres have taken both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, while the rest of them can start their work remotely.

For licensed and valid centres for people with special needs educational sessions can be held with no more than five individuals per session, provided that all employees who start work in these centres have taken both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.

The circular stipulates that it shall be implemented from Sunday until further notice. "In this regard, compliance with the health requirements, procedures, precautionary measures and controls determined by the Ministry of Public Health and the directives issued by the higher authorities in Qatar shall be taken into consideration," the QNA report adds.

Meanwhile, the Private Education Affairs Sector has given private schools and kindergartens the option to choose between blended learning and remote learning to complete the remaining period of the 2020/2021 school year.

According to local Arabic daily Arrayah, this will be applicable starting from Sunday as part of the first phase of the gradual lifting of Covid-19 restrictions.

Students attending classes should not exceed 30% of the full capacity of the school building in case a school opts for blended learning, according to the daily.

The MoEHE has also given private schools the freedom to determine the number of daily school hours for each class, but these should not be less than four hours a day for schools and two hours a day for kindergartens.

Also, at all times, all schools should continue to strictly implement the precautionary and preventive measures against Covid-19 in line with the latest updates issued by the authorities concerned in the country.