New System for Transferring Students to Schools Near Their Homes Introduced

By Sruthi Nair - May 30, 2024

Ministry of Education and Higher Education

The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) is set to introduce a new system for transferring students between government schools based on the geographic location of their homes, starting from the 2024-25 academic year. This initiative aims to ease transportation and reduce traffic congestion.

Parents with children in government schools will now be able to transfer their children to a school closer to their new homes. "Parents who have moved to a new location can apply for the transfer through the MoEHE Maarif Portal for Public Services," said Hamad Abdul Aziz Al Yafei, Head of the Student Admission and Registration Section at MoEHE.

In a recent interview with Al Rayan TV, Al Yafei explained that parents need to submit an online request with proof of address, such as the electricity number of their new home. "Under the new plan, students will be automatically transferred after completing a level based on the geographic location of their homes," he added.

Further elaborating, Al Yafei said that transfers will occur once students finish a level—either from primary to preparatory or from preparatory to secondary. "Once the transfer is made, parents will be promptly informed about the new schools," he stated.

Addressing concerns about siblings' transfers, he noted that this issue was resolved in March, allowing siblings to transfer to the same schools.

Al Yafei acknowledged that there might be initial challenges for parents adjusting to the new system but emphasized that it ultimately benefits parents by saving time, especially for those with multiple school-going children.

The early electronic transfer period for Qatari students, children of Qatari women, and GCC citizens will be from May 19 to June 20, 2024. For all nationalities, it will be from June 9 to June 20, 2024. Electronic transfers will reopen at the start of the new academic year for all nationalities from August 26 to September 30, 2024. Registration and transfers through specialized schools will be available from April 28 to June 20, 2024.

From August 26 to September 30, 2024, students will be registered through schools for nationalities allowed for admission, according to the registration conditions outlined in the Ministry's admission policy.

Source: The Peninsula Qatar