The Supreme Education Council (SEC) is finalizing a number of projects in preparation for the new academic year 2014-2015. The SEC action plan to raise the admission capacity in independent and private schools is a top priority to meet the increasing needs of students, citizens and residents alike.
The SEC revealed that new private schools will join the already 132 operating schools soon before the academic year 2014-2015, calling for all residents to take advantage of the e-school guide on the SEC official website. The website is constantly updated to include all schools once they are approved to operate and register students.
The e-guide is available in both Arabic and English and contains ample information on each and every school. An interactive map has been designed to provide the addresses and clear directions from/into these schools.
The SEC stated that five new international schools have so far been licensed to operate in the State of Qatar with an aggregate capacity of 2200 students in all academic levels. 23 applications for opening new schools are under study pending the completion of the missing requirements by the end of this month to be allowed to host students for the forthcoming academic year, added the SEC.
The inauguration of these 28 schools will bring the seating capacity of the private schools to more than 10.000 new seats, in addition to the already 128180 seats the Qatari students share with their classmates.
With regards to the adopted strategic plan, the SEC stated that the key objective is to provide a school seat for every student in the State of Qatar despite the rapidly-growing demographic challenge, coupled with other factors as parents focus on enrolling their children in specific schools in Doha although they reside in farther areas.
Future plans include increasing the number of private schools in the State, as the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning "Baladiya" approved the allocation of 55 lots to establish new schools following standards set by the SEC.
Accordingly, agreements were concluded to establish two private schools within the four coming years. Other contracts for building eight new private schools are being processed within the first stage of the SEC school establishment plan.
Besides, 10 other sites are being prepared to host new schools. Ground and infrastructure works are completed for three schools while the remaining seven sites are still under preparation.
The Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning agreed to create 35 sites with a unified surface of 15.000 m? each for the purpose of building new schools.
The SEC revealed other down-to-earth initiatives in cooperation with Qatar’s top real estate developers with a view to allocate land zones for establishing new schools and kindergartens. Accordingly, a joint commission between the SEC and Lusail Real Estate Development Company was formed to support Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Education and Training Sector Strategy (ETSS) by implementing Lusail City Education Infrastructure Excellence (EIE) programme. The city will include a full range of schools enjoying world-class features that will be disclosed in the coming stages.
The SEC also revealed that the main developer "Lusail Real Estate Development Company" will call for tenders on a number of school-planned lots in further stages. The first stage recorded tender operations on seven private schools including two kindergartens, and five independent schools including two kindergartens. The sites will be delivered end of 2014 for development pending their official launch and operation by 2018.
The SEC is inviting all investors to consider their business in private schools, taking into account the right selection of the curriculum and standards in their own schools and the geographical distribution of the premises in order to meet both the actual regional needs and future expansion visions in the State of Qatar.