Private schools cut summer working hours, others await instruction
With temperature soaring, several private schools have reduced their working hours while other schools are expected to soon follow suit, reported The Peninsula.
Schools are also preparing for one of the longest summer holidays which will begin in July and continue until the third week of September.
The summer vacation this year will include the two Eid holidays as well. Most schools that have not reduced their timing until now are planning to do it from the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, that is likely to start from June 6.
All Independent schools have already reduced their working hours from May 15, following instructions from the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. Independent Schools’ KG classes are closing at 11.10am, primary level at 11.45am and preparatory and secondary levels at 12.35pm.
School officials said yesterday that they have not received any instruction from the Ministry of Education and Higher Education until now regarding the summer working hours.
The Pakistan Education Center (PEC) Al Maha International School and the Community School are among the schools that have already changed their timing, with the onset of summer.
PEC has reduced working hours by 30 minutes to one hour for different sections, beginning Sunday. The school starts at 7am and closes at 1pm.
The lower classes close early in most schools, but the parents say that some schools keep the KG and primary level children at the school, even after the classes are over, due to lack of sufficient transportation facilities.
Primary classes at Al Maha International School in Ain Khalid now close at noon, while preparatory and secondary levels close at 12.30pm, one hour earlier.
The Community School operating behind Aspire Park also closes at noon (all levels), instead of 1pm (primary) and 1.30pm (other levels).
A senior official of the Birla Public School (BPS) said yesterday that the school will reduce the working hours from the beginning of Ramadan. The school will start at 7.30am, instead of 7am and close at 12.30pm, instead of 1.30pm.
Timing of lower levels will be different. Enquiries with some other schools revealed that they have not yet taken any decision about changing the timing, even during Ramadan.
Temperature rose considerably yesterday and is expected to hit about 40 degrees Celsius today in Doha and some other parts of the country.
Courtesy: thepeninsulaqatar.com
