The Ministry of Education and Higher Education yesterday announced the schedule for the enrollment of students in government schools for the academic year 2018-19, according to a report by The Peninsula.

The announcement comes with the opening of three new schools, adding 3,000 seats to the existing capacity, with a new total 0f 202 public schools. One of them is a secondary school for technology for boys at Madinat Al Khalifa, and the other is a secondary school for girls at Al Merad, Al Sailiya.

Warda Aqil, Head of the Registration and Admission Department at the Ministry, stated that the registration schedule has been prepared as per the convenience of the parents and guardians. She said that phase one registration, which includes automated transferring of students, began two weeks ago before the beginning of the second term examination of current year and the parents were notified through schools.

The second phase, which began yesterday, is limited for registering and transferring siblings of Qataris, children of GCC citizens and Qatari women. The deadline for second phase is April 12, 2018, said Aqil.

She said that online registration for new students will be in phases as per the schedule announced and posted on the website of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.  The Ministry gave two days, May 13 and 14, for the registration of new Qatari students through schools regardless of geographical location. 

As per the registration schedule, Qatari students can transfer during May 15 and 16, 2018 through school regardless of geographical location. Speaking on the registration procedures, Aqil said that the coordination was made with authorities concerned to set up registration centre at 11 government services complexes.

She said registration centers will be available at four densely populated areas (Unaiza, Umm Salal, Al Rayyan and Mesaimir). The Ministry will provide trained staffs to handle the process of registration and transferring the students and the parents can visit the nearest center to avail the service. 

About 118,000 students of various nationalities are enrolled in public schools. “Existing 199 public schools have 10,000 vacant seats,” Aqil stated. She added that efforts are being made by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education to build more schools within the next two years, especially in densely populated areas like Al Rayan, Umm Salal and Al Merad.

In the meantime, registration under exceptional cases for the students with parents working with semi-governmental institutions and private sector that are not entitled to enroll in public school has begun. The students of such categories can apply online for the registration from April 9, 2018 till May 16, 2018. The registration procedure is available on the website of the Ministry.

Cover image credit: Doha News