co durham boy

Most people i know with kids in schools here are disappointed with the level of education their kids get for the extortionate cost that they pay.

Basically schools are of a poor standard here compared to other Gulf countries , it's one of the major stumbling blocks in the progress of Qatar. Theres just not enough schools for expats .

Most people now are just relieved to get their children into a place and they deal with the rest later as it's the biggest constraint for a family. My wife works as an adminstration manager for a school here in Doha so i get the low down over egg & chips every night .

Newton hasnt got the best reputation but none of them have , it's very very difficult to pick out a top ranking school . You'll find schools kind of replicate life in Qatar generally as in there's one or two decent ones and the rest are sub standard but you just put up with it .

They've announced yesterday that they'll build 85 new schools here but don't hold your breath , that might take 20 years in Qatari time .

primularossa

Dear Durham boy

I am concerned of what you say about "poor standards" of schools and I need to ask you a more detailed explanation.

What do people complain for, exactly? Teachers abilities, curriculum, what children actually learn? these are - to me - the most important things.

If they complain about facilities (rooms, computers, sport facilities etc) I don't mind very much provided that teachers are capable and children learn and are willing to learn.

I would be very happy if you can explain, in order to know what do I have to face.
Thank you very much
Primula

EastWest

I wonder what sort of obstacles do Qataris have not to establish enough schools to meet the ever increasing demand. With fees high in the sky, schools are a good business more than anything else. As Primularossa said, why schools have poor reputations? Two years ago I visited some schools in Doha, but that was a short visit to establish an idea about how good/bad they are. As for other GCC countries, I can’t judge on all of them but have seen schools in KSA. Based on what I have seen in Doha versus KSA I can say Doha schools are much better than KSA ones. Almost all international schools in KSA have non-native English speakers (the only exception is the British school, which is toooooo expensive). Kids will most likely pick up sub-continent accent. Yet, their fee is too high.

Salzburg

Hi,
I was just in Doha this week, I got back to the USA yesterday. I toured around a few schools and can tell you that getting a place is tough but not impossible. Depending upon who you will work for may dictate if you can get a spot. For example I was at the American School of Doha (ASD) on Tuesday. Their order of accepting students is: 1. Siblings of existing students, 2. kids of people working for 9 oil and gas companies that have a contract with the ASD, 3. everyone else. I'm in category 3-everyone else. The girl who showed us around said that it is virtually impossible to get kids in from Pre-K to grade 3. Grades 4 and 5 is a reasonable chance, middle school grades is a good chance and high school is the easiest to get into. It is the most amazing school i have ever visited, with no shortage of resources. It even has a travel agents inside!

The best thing to do is ask your employer who they have a contract with. My employer Sidra Hospital has contracts with a few schools so last week we got a place at a British school for my 2 kids.

Best of luck and be persistent!

EastWest

Thanks Salzburg for feedback. I am in the third category as you. I did not apply for ASD as their application form is so complicated. They require forms to be filled by each teacher in the current school, as well as a medical form to be filled by JP. Every form should be sent by the teacher who filled it. It is easier to apply for Harvard than ASD. In the end it is American school and my kids are in British ones.

Millhouse

Don't confuse resources with teaching.

My son's school has a marble reception - yet no PVA glue in the classrooms.

co durham boy

Everything is watered down , from teachers qualifications to the running of the SEC .
Qatar is a developing at such a rate that education , infrastructure and health services cant keep up and it's no secret that the Qatari's havent got a scooby doo how to handle it .

No different to other Gulf countries going through their first boom .

sirAlex

Newton Academy in Barwa is really good. They have a great principle there, he is a brit

weasel decentral

Principal.

Is his name Alex?

sirAlex

sorry weasel, accepted correction.
no he aint an Alex, my kids couldn't take the "hairdryer"

weasel decentral

I thought he might be at a loose end since Moyes took over. I like the thought of a bunch of Qatari kids going around with some kind of impenetrable Glaswegian accent.

EastWest

I like to hear more about this school, so appreciate if you tell me. It is the only school that indicated they have places for all my kids.

sirAlex

they're happy there, they do the Brit national curriculum, I have no complaints, most imporatntly I get no complaints form the kids

sirAlex

Newton International Academy in Barwa has a Brit curriculum. It's good

Alexa

And why do you think that is the case?