A week’s delay in reopening the schools to allow them enough time to take preventive steps to contain a possible spread of H1N1 virus will not affect the academic calendar. Periodical tests, examination and holiday schedules of all the schools, including private, community and Independent Schools, will remain unchanged in the current academic year. Meanwhile, the Supreme Education Council (SEC) is launching from today a training programme for 720 Qatari members of the teaching and non-teaching staff of government schools to hone their skills so they can be employed by Independent Schools. Tests will be conducted at the end of the training course and those who qualify will be absorbed in the Independent Schools into which government schools are gradually being converted. Meanwhile, several expatriate schools, which were originally scheduled to reopen today have changed their schedule, in line with the government decision to delay the reopening of schools in the country. Most of these schools will re-open on October 4, as instructed by the education authorities. The schools were flooded with calls from parents and students yesterday, following the official announcement that reopening has been rescheduled. “We decided to postpone the reopening immediately after we came to know from newspapers about the government decision. We didn’t wait for any formal instruction from the authorities,” said sources from the Ideal Indian School. The Birla Public School, scheduled to reopen on September 30 will announce its decision today, principal A K Srivastava said yesterday. The MES Indian School, Shantiniketan Indian School, Cambridge School Doha and the Doha Modern Indian School are among the other schools that have rescheduled their reopening in line with the government decision. However, some international schools that have already started classes early this month will reopen today as per their original schedule. “What we were told is that the government decision applies to all schools. However, we will take a final decision today after consultation with the education authorities,” he said. The government move, which has been described timely by many parents and academics has given these schools more time to prepare themselves to prevent a possible spread of H1N1 among their students. They have organised special meetings involving their teachers and other staff to discuss their action plan and raise awareness about the preventive measures against swine flu. The Supreme Council of Health has already issued guidelines to all schools in this regard. These schools will revert to their pre-summer timings when they re-open after the holidays. http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=September2009&file=Local_News200909271025.xml

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