Qatar motorists experience back-to-school rush
Independent schools across Qatar reopened today and several motorists have been complaining about traffic jams on busy routes this morning.
According to motorists, some of the major routes like Salwa Road, Doha Expressway and West Bay area were all experiencing heavy traffic.
Back to School traffic @qatarliving salwa road pic.twitter.com/wdfPYK6Xgz
— Khurram Fraz (@khurramfraz) September 6, 2015
If i am stuck on rare most used road to westbay, whts hppng on #dohaexpressway n #cornicheQatar #Qatar @qatarliving pic.twitter.com/NmARmppbgv
— Waqas Ajaz (@waqsajaz) September 6, 2015
@qatarliving Yep stuck behind school run mum, sat in outside lane doing 20 below the limit :(
— Alan Holden (@Baldrick2Dogs) September 6, 2015
The Supreme Education Council (SEC) also issued a circular to schools with directions about management of school transport and student safety.
The SEC, in a circular issued recently, has asked Independent schools to send SMS to the parents about opening and closing time of schools so that they can pick students on time on the first day.
It was a short day for students of Independent Schools as the SEC asked these schools to end the first day at 11am.
The new academic year of Independent schools begins from today while Indian schools already kicked off the new session from April this year.
Around 300,000 students are enrolled in various schools in the country in the new academic year. Of these 102,300 are enrolled in 80 Independent schools and kindergartens while the rest are in private schools.
The SEC has also given directions to schools on the management of school buses. As per the directions, a school bus must have a supervisor.
Students availing transport must have a card with details such as contact number of a guardian, address and name of the supervisor.
They should also be given training on how to board the bus while leaving the school. Around 1,900 buses have been allotted to Independent Schools, out of which 450 buses are new.
Reopening of schools will also see additional burden to the city's traffic system. It also marks the end of summer vacations which means more office-goers will be on the roads from this week.
Commuters will have to brace for traffic congestions as there will be more buses on the roads. The problem of traffic jams are likely to aggravate because of various diversions due to ongoing constructions at many places.
The traffic department will deploy additional patrolling staff to manage heavy traffic. More than 60 patrolling vehicles, in collaboration with Lekhwiya and Al Fazaa, will be deployed at various intersections and roundabouts to manage flow of vehicles.
Read these tips on how to cope with #DohaTraffic during #BackToSchoolQatar
and granddad :)
friend_shaiju: It does play all the old music my dad used to listen to :o)
holy moly Qatar Radio????? brit, you okay buddy?
Keith: Think positive. You can while away the journey listening to the Qatar Radio :O)
lmao.. that comment is so much win. hahaha.
But jokes aside I moved here when the schools were already closed so this is new to me, and absolutely frustrating. I have just one radar on the way home so i used to make it back in 20 minutes. Now it takes me 40.
There is no such thing. The bus does the rounds. Some kids are dropped of early, others at the farthest end of the route have to endure a longer wait.
The best option is a private driver or to drive them yourself.
You could try talking to the school and highlight the issue. Perhaps they can put the child on a different bus.
Can any one tell me the max. time duration for school bus from home to school. My son is going from home at 5:40 AM and he coming back at 3:00 PM. School timing 7:17 AM to 1:30 PM.
There is any law from supreme education council for transport.
I avoided the jams. Dropped my kids off last night