LACK OF SCHOOL PLACES
Hi.
Our family's first post on this web site.
We have been tracking the school thread carefully and have found to our cost there is an appalling shortage of British Curriculum school places in Doha.
My wife only got her working visa last week after a three-month wait, and myself and our daughter are still waiting for our visit visas. At this late stage trying to get a 9 year old into school in Doha is a very sick joke.
One wonders if those in the Qatari Government who are happy to tell the world they are "Family Friendly" realise that quite literally hundreds of families will not take up their jobs in Qatar because there are no school places.
I am involved in International recruitment and have known for at least 18 months that there was going to be massive immigration into Qatar once the Gas Fields started up and the GTL project started lumbering into life. To give you an idea of the number of immigrants coming to Qatar I can tell you that ONE company alone plans to have 90,000 (yes thats thousand!) men on site by September 2008.
We are on a seemingly endless list at DESS. Qat.Int.School has not replied to an email. Doha College has not replied to an email. The web site of Doha Academy is not operational. I am unable to contact the Cambridge school by ANY means. The Qatar Academy has a Web site nearly 4 years out of date. The Montessori school have replied but we are told that it is miles from where we shall be living. We are about to email/telephone Park House but understand they are well overstretched. Lastly we spoke with the Compass school, but were told in no uncertain terms that yes it would cost us US$13,000 + $2000 Reg. They are on another planet methinks!!!
What on earth are we supposed to do? Short of my wife cancelling her appointment at the Hamad, we are fast running out of ideas.
Anyone know how far is the Montessori school from the Hamad's living quarters which I understand are in the Managers accommodation used for the Asian Games?
Does the Newton School have a telephone number please? (What sort of school would set up without a Web Site?_
Any sensible suggestions will be most welcome. In case Hippo is on line we are all UK Citizens but speak Yorkshire !!!!!
Arnold, Malou and Louise
Hi. I am a south african moving to Qatar in a few weeks time. Can you recomend a creche/ nursery school that i can send my little boy to (he will be 2years old in March next year?). We will be staying in the beveley hills compound so if anyone knows a place near by that i can maybe phone and speak to. Also, any idea on the cost?
Thanks
ASD just underwent a massive expansion -- a whole new facility for the middle/high school. Everyone is in the new place now, but it's still a construction zone. Once it's all done, it'll be the best school facility around.
It is ALREADY full at most grade levels, if not all. Waiting lists are dozens long. That said, next year they ARE expanding to add another class at each grade level. Enrollment is fast approaching 1500 for pre4-12. Tuition at ASD is the highest of any school in Doha (almost $8000 USD for preschool when all is said and done!); if your/husband's company won't cover the kids' tuition as part of your contract, you can pretty much forget about it.
Admissions tests to gain entrance are mandatory; preference is given to children whose parents work at companies that financially supported the new construction.
http://www.asd.edu.qa/pages/sitepage.cfm?page=32659
If you can't change your fate, change your attitude.
Are all schools in Doha full or is it just the British schools? Is it hard to get into the American School? I have a 4 year old and a 7 year old and I am a teacher. My husband just got a job offer in Doha. Can you tell me about the American School?
Well, "crisis" might perhaps be an exaggeration, poolplan. Yes, there is a lot of demand for school places, but then again some parents make multiple applications, even to schools that they don't really want to send their children to. Secondly, quite a lot of parents choose the homeschooling option (judging from the number of QL posts) and this can save you a lot of money in fees!
The problem is that like you say you find it hard to believe parents travel without securing places for their kids and then that you need to visit the schools in order to secure places. This is a catch 22 situation and I'm not going to travel knowing full well there is a crisis in Qatar.
Hi Kerrei,
What is the website for Newton International School?
I spoke with the Newton School the other day and was advised that they still had places at the new school but cannot remember which years. The website is now operational but is lacking most of the content.
The new school does not have a telephone number as yet but all administration is being dealt with from the Westbay branch but they are really really busy. The opening of the new school has been delayed until next week but for what it is worth it looks like a really nice building.
The best way is to get them to fax / email an application form and get it back ASAP. You will need to pay a 2000 non refundable registration fee and an assessment will be required but at least it is primarily a British curriculum.
Even if you get in the faces of the other schools, such as DESS there is little that can be done about the waitlists. Submit an application and hope that people move on at the next school break.
Goodluck
here's the link of all schools in Doha. wish you luck to find a school for your kids.
http://www.qatarliving.com/node/30854
Judge not! that you be not judged!
I would strongly advise if you are on British Passports that you pursue DESS, Doha College & Park House. Can I suggest that filling in application forms is not sufficient you need to visit the schools and make yourself familiar with them and persist with phone calls. As you will know there is a pecking order here and to fill in a form means very little. Good luck. You could contact Cedars which is extremely good as a temporary basis and continue to push with the British Schools. Please be aware that if coming from the UK alot of schools with include English in their title but are not - so beware!
I actually find it hard to believe that anyone would bring their children here without securing school places. Most people finalise things prior to arriving .......
I know what you mean about the lack of school places. I received application forms from Newton and returned them, but getting in touch with them is impossible, the phone is constantly engaged and their email inbox is overflowing.
DESS has a endless waiting list and there has been no movement for year 5.
Costs for Compass are ridicolous, you might as well stay in the UK and send your kids to private school.
Our visas are ready but there is no way I am taking up the job until a. a school place is available and
b Employer agrees to pay for the school place or part thereof.
So at this stage it looks like Qatar is slipping away.
There is no one, including the Qatari gov't to blame for the lack of school spots available. All the schools have been undertaking massive building projects--but it takes much longer here in Qatar than it would in other places. This country has the world's fastest growing economy. More people are coming in each day so that the schools, the roads, the available apartments, etc cannot keep up with the demand---not matter how much advance notice they have received. It is impossible. Once you arrive here you will understand. The entire country is one large construction site. Everything is delayed due to cement and other building supply shortages. But they are all trying hard and things are starting to fall into place. Rome wasn't build in a day.
Dear Malaboman,
Both of my parents were from Yorkshire, so I think that you should be proud of coming from that famous county.
On a more serious note, have you had any luck with Newton International School? The new school (or second school - I am not sure which) is supposed to be opening in September, so there ought to be some places available. Yes, I agree with you that N.I.S. really ought to have a school website. I made that very point to Mrs Cardwell, the principal of N.I.S., when I spoke to her on the telephone a few weeks ago. She said that a website would be up and running "soon", but of course this is Middle East and therefore things do not always happen when you would expect them to.
Of course most schools in Qatar will have closed for the long summer holiday. If you ring up now, all you will hear is a recorded message or a secretary who will try to be sympathetic but will most probably say, "I am sorry, but I cannot really give you any information about places for next year until the principal returns."
Having said that, keep trying. It may well be that lots of parents have put their children's names down for scores of different schools, so there may well be some vacancies sooner or later.
Thanks Alexa. Not going to re-contact Compass again. Far too expensive for a nurse (albeit a senior one) to pay and the telephone discussion regarding costs was to say the least "strong" and very "take it or leave it" Not a good advertisement for a school.