Parents in Qatar can either opt for blended learning — which combines online education with traditional face-to-face teaching — or complete remote learning for their children from next week, a senior Ministry of Education and Higher Education official said on Monday.

Starting from next week, parents will be given a choice between continuing blended learning or switch completely to remote learning.

Adviser to the Minister of Education and Higher Education, Mohamad Al Bashri said in a joint press conference by Ministries of Public Health and Education and Higher Education to discuss the latest developments related to the Coronavirus and back to school that blended learning while maintaining attendance of 30% will continue.

He said that parents will be given a choice to continue blended learning or shift to online learning. He urged parents to decide carefully as this should be the final decision as it involves many procedures for schools. 

Dr. Abdullatif Al Khal, Chair of the National Strategic Group on COVID-19 and Head of the Infectious Diseases Division at Hamad Medical Corporation, also spoke at the event.

The school environment is safer, and it has been found that most of the cases recorded among students occurred outside schools, Al-Bishri said.

“There is a protocol followed in case of discovering any infection in any school that is implemented in coordination with the Ministry of Health,” he added

“In the event of an increase in the number of cases in schools, education will be suspended and students' attendance at schools will be only through home learning,” Al Bishri said

Dr Al Khal added that out of more than 350,000 students and over 35,000 teachers in Qatar less than 0.2 percent have tested positive since schools reopened.

“In nearly two weeks since students returned to school, we have identified a small number of positive cases among children and teachers. While any new case among children is of concern, it is important that we put this into context,” he said.