ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER ON SATURDAY ADMISSION ANXIETY Tough rules to fight school absenteeism DOHA: Taking a serious view of absentee- ism in Independent Schools, the Minister of Education and Higher Education and Chairman of the Supreme Education Council H E Dr Mohammed bin Abdul Wahid bin Ali Al Hammadi yesterday issued decision No. 23 of 2014, barring erring students from taking continuous assessment tests and term examinations. The decision applies to students from grades 4 to 12 and extensive rules to help implement it will be framed by the SEC, a statement by the council said. According to it, starting from this school year a student will be prevented from taking the first assessment test for all subjects if he or she is absent from the school for seven (school) days in a row without any accept- able reason. Similarly, if he or she is absent for 10 days consecutively (without any acceptable rea- son), the student will be barred from taking the second assessment test for all subjects. If the absence exceeds 13 days uninter- ruptedly and without any justifiable reason, the student will not be allowed to take the third assessment test (for all subjects). Continued on page 3 FIFA completes probe into 2018, 2022 bids BERNE: FIFA ethics committee inves- tigator Michael Garcia has completed a probe into the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, awarded to Russia and Qatar respectively, and handed in a 350-page report. The report, which has not been made pub- lic, will be submitted to the panel’s adjudi- catory chamber, headed by German judge Hans-Joachim Eckert, to decide on whether any wrongdoing was committed, soccer’s gov- THE ISSUE erning body said yesterday. FIFA could not say when Eckert might reach his decision. During the year-long investigation, Garcia The government’s decision over 243,000, up more than 51,000 since But the new regulation has put pres- and his deputy Cornel Borbely interviewed 2013 or more than 25 percent. There are sure on schools which were having over “more than 75 witnesses and compiled a to allow the opening of new 178 Independent and 154 private schools, 30 students in a class. It also bars new record that, in addition to audio recordings schools has partially solved including international, Arabic, commu- expatriates from seeking admissions at from interviews, includes more than 200,000 the problem of shortage of nity and embassy schools. existing schools, creating huge demand pages of material,” FIFA said. “With new schools opening this year, for new schools. “The report sets forth detailed factual seats for new students this there is no shortage of seats for students The SEC has also put a cap on the findings; reaches conclusions concerning academic year. at primary level,” said A P Sasidharan, number of students a school can have. further action with respect to certain indi- Principal, MES Indian School. “However Some schools have more students than viduals; identifies issues to be referred to the problem (of shortage of seats) in the ceiling and sought permission to build other FIFA committees; and makes recom- hese schools have eased the higher classes is likely to persist this year new premises to shift additional students mendations for future bidding processes.” nerves of jittery parents seek- as most new schools have classes from KG to new campuses. The cap is based on The hosting rights for both tournaments ing admission for their children to third standard,” he said. criteria, including area and facilities in were awarded simultaneously by FIFA’s exec- Tto primary classes. However, This has come as good news for parents schools. utive committee in Zurich in 2010. those looking for higher classes are keep- seeking admissions to primary classes. “We are planning to build another site ing their fingers crossed as they are still However, students looking for admis- and are waiting for the SEC’s approval. DCMF to pay tributes waiting for admissions. sions to higher classes have nothing to Once we have it, we will start construc- “We have opened 22 new schools this cheer. tion and shift excess students to the new to dead Gaza scribes year, but still there is demand for seats,” “The new session is about to start but premises,” said Sasidharan. Fawziya Abdulaziz Al Khather, Director, we are still waiting for admission for our Another reason behind the shortage DOHA: The Doha Center for Media Education Institute, Supreme Education son to the fourth standard. I have tried all of seats is many parents are unwilling to Freedom (DCMF) will hold a solidarity Council (SEC), told a press conference schools but they say there is no vacancy,” enrol their children in new schools and event on September 8 between 10am and on Wednesday. said an Indian expatriate. opting for existing schools, which has led noon at Building No. 12 at Katara for the Ongoing development and infrastruc- Parents attribute the shortage of seats to a pile-up of applications. They claim journalists who died in the recent Israeli ture projects in Qatar have led to a high to the SEC’s new directive that no class that new schools are charging more fees attacks on Gaza. influx of expatriates, pushing up demand can have more than 30 students as part of than the existing ones and do not have a Participants will sign a book of condo- for more schools for their children. The its efforts to further enhance the quality proven track record in Qatar. lences and observe one-minute silence as a number of students in schools has reached of education. See also page 2 mark of respect for the scribes. A film on difficulties faced by journalists in Gaza will be screened and representatives of the cen- tre, Aljazeera and the media will address the gathering, which will end with a discussion on media freedom in the Strip. THE PENINSULA/AGENCIES Saturday 6 September 2014 • 11 Dhu’l-Qa’da 1435 • Volume 19 • Number 6180 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 02 SEPTEMBER 6, 2014 ON SATURDAY www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Home Enrolments still a struggle Parents unhappy over 30-student limit for classes, hesitant to approach new schools due to high fees BY SACHIN KUMAR and KG, and first to third standards FAZEENA SALEEM because new schools have opened. Demand for new admissions to DOHA: With schools set primary classes will be met by these to reopen tomorrow, many schools,” said Sasidharan. expatriates are still waiting for The main reason behind the admissions for their children. admissions crisis is the SEC’s new Although the opening of new directives, limiting the number of schools has relived those seeking students in each class, according admissions to primary classes, to many parents. The SEC has many parents looking for higher also announced a new rule under classes are still struggling and which no class can have more than visiting one school to another. 30 students. “The new session is about to Parents who managed to get start but we are still waiting for admissions for their children admission for our son to fourth complained about higher fees standard. I have tried all schools charged by some schools. but they say there is no vacancy,” “I had applied for admissions in said an Indian working for a an international school for my two construction company. daughters. Initially my daughters “However, I am hopeful as some did not get admission but later they schools have asked me to wait for a got it at a new branch of the same few days and, maybe, my son will be school. The joy of having my kids enrolled soon. But I am also anxious. admitted, however, disappeared My fear is he will miss one year if when I came to know that the fee at he does not get admission,” said an the new branch is double compared Indian working for a construction to the old branch. This was a shock company. because both branches follow the Schools say they cannot admit same curriculum and facilities for more students in a class than the students are also same,” claimed an limit stipulated by the Supreme expatriate. Education Council, the regulatory Demand for When the parent asked the body for schools in Qatar. school about the difference in fees, “We have received a huge admissions to the management reportedly replied number of applications. In fact, for children seeking admissions existing ones.” primary classes that it had approval from the SEC we are discouraging parents from to primary classes (KG to third New schools say demand for for a new fee structure. The SEC registering their children,” said A P standard) but the problem admissions to primary classes is is very high. The has put a 10 percent cap on fee Sasidharan, Principal, MES Indian continues for students seeking very high. hike by private schools. However, School. “Seats in lower classes such admissions to higher classes. The “Around 90 percent of seats in shortage of seats some schools with a very low fee as from KG to fifth standard are in new schools, which are starting KG-1 and KG-2 are filled. However, continues despite structure have been allowed to raise high demand. There is also demand their sessions this academic the rush for classes 1 to 3 is not fees by up to 25 percent. Permission for class 11,” he added. session, have classes from KGs to huge. There are vacant seats in the opening of new to increase fees has been given The shortage of seats continues third standard.