DOHA: Qatar’s education authorities are taking seriously the issue of absenteeism in state-funded Independent schools.
The schools are reopening on September 6 for new academic year (2015-16) after the long summer break.
Parents are being urged by school managements to make sure their children attend the school on the first day.
Independent schools are run by private operators. Attendance on the first day will not be counted but from the second day — September 7.
According to new rules imposed recently, students whose attendance falls short of the minimum requirement, will not be allowed to take periodical tests and terminal exams. School regulator, the Supreme Education Council (SEC), has developed a mobile phone application through which, among other things, Independent school managements would inform parents if a child bunks a class or school.
The SEC has a department — Independent Schools’ office to look after these schools.
Its director, Khalifa Al Dirham, said in a statement yesterday that all Independent schools are ready to receive students for the new school year from September 6.
“Necessary preparations have been made,” Al Dirham noted.
The office is coordinating with authorities to make sure school buses are available from September 6, he said.
There are 180 Independent schools all over the country, for boys and girls and of three levels — primary, preparatory and secondary.
Nine of these schools are new. The total number of students on the rolls of these schools is 102,355.
Al Dirham said: “We are following up and parents are being urged to send their children to school on the first day itself,” reports QNA.
The SEC makes sure that its field officers periodically visit Independent schools to check that they are following SEC rules and guidelines.
The SEC has asked the schools to not unnecessarily burden parents and ask them not to provide their children with things not needed, including too many uniforms, for instance.
The Peninsula
