DOHA: The Ministry of Education and Higher Education has amended the back-to-school plan announced earlier and implementing a blended learning system during the first term of the 2020-2021 academic year. This would be done across government and private schools, higher education institutes and kindergartens.
E-learning and classroom learning are to be blended in one system. The amendment followed a coordination meeting with the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) on precautionary and preventive measures against Covid-19 and mitigating the academic consequences of school closures and delaying the beginning of the new academic year.
With the blended learning system, students have to attend classes at school from one to three times a week, maintaining an attendance rate of 30 per cent of the total student capacity on a single school day. The aim is to facilitate students to attend classes of basic subjects, perform practical experiments and sit for exams and tests. Schools should split pupils at any level into groups with a maximum of 15 students. A minimum distance of 1.5 metres should be maintained between each student.
Remote and e-learning would be implemented on days when students do not attend classes at the school, according to the Ministry. However, students shall go to school to sit for midterm and end of term exams according to a schedule organised by the school to maintain social distancing.
From 1 to 3 September, there would be awareness programmes for students on preventive and precautionary measures against coronavirus. Students of preparatory and secondary schools would have to wear masks. Brochures and booklets issued by the Ministry’s Health and Safety Department would be distributed to students and parents on awareness..
Rotational attendance timetables would be issued to students indicating the days they have to attend schools and days of remote learning. Schools would maintain proper social distancing among students during exit and entry and have been advised to cancel morning assembly as well as social activities. Instead, they should look to virtual alternatives as an option.
For specialised and technical schools, schools for special needs children and remote schools which have limited and less number of students not exceeding 30 per cent of the full capacity of the school building, classes can be held at school for all students on all schooldays.
The Ministry exempted some categories of students from physically attending classrooms, including those with chronic diseases or with a close family member suffering from a chronic disease living in the same household to avoid possible transmission of infection. In such cases, an approved medical certificate and report should be submitted to the school concerned. However, exempted students have to attend the central exams and tests alongside others at the school building.
The Ministry has also issued a circular to directors and presidents of universities on its decision to make regular attendance of students at universities on gradual attendance. As per the circular, attendance throughout the first three months – from the start of September till the end of November – would be only 30 per cent of the students as integrated learning goes on.