With schools in Qatar set to reopen in September, Qatar's Ministry of Education and Higher Education has announced a three-phased plan to gradually bring students back to the classrooms in both private and government schools as well as kindergartens.

First phase: 

This phase phase will run from September 1 to 3. During this period, only one-third of the students will attend classes on each day to ensure social distancing. The students who attend class on Day 1 are not required to go to schools on the second and third days.

The aim of this phase is to make students, teachers and parents adapt to the new in-school arrangement and welcome new students to the schools. No lessons will be taught in this phase.

The schools and kindergartens are required to notify parents and students which group of students is attending school each day.

This phase will also see teachers educating students the precautionary procedures they have to adhere to in classrooms and on buses and providing them an overview of the distance education programme.

Second phase:

This phase is spread over two weeks — from September 6 to 12 and from September 13 to 17. This phase also marks the actual start of the school day with lessons being taught to students.

Only 50 percent of the students will go to schools and kindergartens in each week. When the first half is at school, the other half will continue learning the lessons online.

The goal of this phase is to continue experimenting with distance education for a short period to prepare the student, their parents and schools, in the event of an emergency.

The schools will continue to educate students, parents, and the teaching and administrative staff of the school about health precautionary measures inside the school, according to the requirements of the Health and Safety Department of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.

Third phase

The third phase starts on September 20 and will see schools operating at 100 percent capacity.

Students and required to pack lunch and snacks and schools cafe will not remain open.

The resumption of classes in phases will be done while continuing to take precautionary measures in accordance with the requirements of the health and safety department in the education ministry, in co-ordination with the Ministry of Public Health.

Assistant Undersecretary for Educational Affairs at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education Fawzia al-Khater said the gradual return in three stages aims to provide lessons to students in addition to raising the awareness of the students, their parents and academic and administrative staff in government schools with precautionary measures and how to achieve social distancing to maintain the health of students and the staff , without affecting the educational attainment of these students.

Assistant Undersecretary for Private Schools Affairs at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education Omar al-Nama said that the gradual return through the three phases will allow private schools and kindergartens to receive students after a break and educate them about the precautionary procedures followed in the classrooms and school buildings, in addition to introducing new students to remote learning programmes.

Al-Khater and al-Nama stressed the importance of the first stage in terms of raising awareness about the mechanisms of attendance during the next two weeks after the opening of schools.

Al-Khater also said that the approved plan for the gradual reopening of government schools included a proposal to alternate attendance for students and a quota for study materials for different stages, and also included the school schedule for classes during the first and second school hours of the primary, preparatory and secondary stages.

School timings are from 7.15am to 12.30pm, with six classes of 45 minutes each per day , along with five minute breaks between classes.

The school day also includes a 25-minute break, taking into account the system of the school schedule so that there are three different times for school break to reduce the number of students during any break.

As for kindergarten, the usual daily schedule is applied, with working hours starting from 7.10 am to 12 noon.

Al-Nama said the Ministry has included an appendix of the requirements that private schools and kindergartens must adhere to before the start of the school year, such as having a permanent nurse and providing isolation rooms in the event of a student or school staff showing any symptoms, in addition to providing sufficient sterilisers on a daily basis and distributing them to all facilities and classrooms.

He also stressed that at the start of the academic year on September 1, no one will be allowed to enter the school buildings and kindergartens without agreeing to follow the precautionary requirements manual issued by the Ministry's Department of Health and Safety.