Under strict adherence to COVID-19 prevention protocols, schools operating across the country yesterday received students for in-person classes.
The Ministry of Education and Higher Education is closely monitoring schools to ensure the compliance to preventive measures such as ensuring social distancing, wearing face masks, and provision of parents/guardians declaration forms showing results of antigen tests, said an official.
“First two weeks antigen test at home is mandatory for all students,” said Director of the Health and Safety Department at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education Mohammed Abdullah Al Maraghi.
Speaking to Qatar TV yesterday, he said that the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in coordination with the Ministry of Public Health will be running intensified campaigns to monitor the situation closely during these two weeks.
“The meetings between teams concerned from the two ministries will be held on daily basis to ensure the health situation in schools,” said Al Maraghi. Before the end of first two weeks, he said, an appropriate decision will be taken according to the pandemic situation. “However we are optimistic the situation of COVID-19 will be improved by that time.”
He thanked the decision of the government for implementing antigen tests which contributing greatly in providing a safe and healthy environment in school campus.
“The decision is expected to help return to normal life across the country not only in schools. I would like to assure parents and guardians that their children are safe in school campuses. During past two years, we took several decisions according to the pandemic situation in the country such as 100 percent online and blended learning with 50 percent capacity,” said Al Maraghi.
He said that now parents are happy to see their children going back to school attending the classes in person. “With the return of students the life returns in school building presenting a full schooling environment.”
He said that it was very important to bring back the students to their classrooms physically in a normal form of learning. “Everyone is very much keen for the safety of students and for their education as well,” said Al Maraghi.
He said that the parents wanted to see their children come into routine life such as go to bed on time, get up early in the morning, ready for school, attend the classes in schools, interact with teachers and meet their classmates.
“All these things are very important to provide quality education to students and to build their personality,” said Al Maraghi.
