Ministry issues notices to about 40 private schools, kindergartens operating from villas

Schools asked to stop registration of new students

Published: 14 July 2024

NT Bureau
Doha

The Private Schools Licensing Department of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in Qatar has sent letters to about 40 private schools and kindergartens operating from residential villas in the country notifying them to stop registration of new students or transfer starting from the 2025-2026 academic year, Al Sharq has said in an exclusive report.

The move is part of the Ministry’s efforts to achieve Qatar National Vision 2030 and improve quality and efficiency standards in education.

The Ministry informed these schools that their licenses will be permanently revoked at the end of the 2029-2030 academic year, requiring affected schools to take the necessary measures to comply with the new standards set by the ministry.

In the event that there are students, they will be transferred to other schools, requiring the study of suitable alternatives within the approved urban areas for the relocation of the school headquarters.
The Qatar Chamber Education Committee had earlier discussed the repercussions of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education’s decision to close private schools that operate from residential buildings or buildings not designated for schools, the Qatar Chamber had said in a press release published on its website.

Mohammed bin Ahmed bin Twar Al Kuwari, First Vice chairman of the Qatar Chamber and chairman of the Chamber’s Education Committee, said that the decision to close these schools raises concern among private business investors, families, and students, as the volume of investments in these schools exceeds millions of riyals.

These schools also provide educational services to 40,000 male and female students from various academic levels from the middle and lower social classes. Thousands of workers work in these schools, Qatar Chamber had said.

Sources told Al Sharq that the ministry confirmed that the decision comes out of keenness to provide an appropriate educational environment that meets the requirements of urban growth in the country. The ministry also stressed its continued support for all educational institutions to adjust their conditions in accordance with the new standards, and its readiness to cooperate with all affected schools and provide the necessary advice to ensure the continuity of the educational process in line with the future plans of Qatar’s educational vision.

“Since the decision was issued, school owners have expressed their dissatisfaction with the damage it will cause to their investments in the private education sector. They pointed out that implementing the decision is contrary to the public interest and will lead to the elimination of a category of schools that provide good education at a moderate cost,” the report in Al Sharq said.

According to the report, the license holders met with Omar Al-Naama, Assistant Undersecretary for Private Education Affairs at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. During the meeting, they expressed their dissatisfaction, pointing out that the decision has no legal basis. Some schools explicitly requested that the ministry review what were described as instructions from the competent authorities, but this request was not responded to.

They explained that the Private Schools Regulation Law does not contain any article that justifies the suspension of registration in licensed schools, as the suspension of a license has specific cases in the law, none of which justifies this decision.

Omar Al-Naama called on license holders to submit their proposals to the Ministry for study and to take the necessary action as soon as possible, in order to preserve their interests and the educational interests of students.