As the number of COVID-19 cases in many parts of the world is growing, each country is battling to limit the spread of the virus. Scientists across the world are racing against the time to find medicine and vaccine while governments are taking preventive measures to contain the virus.
These measures have led to interruption of all kind of businesses including governments business, education, airports and worship places, and changing lifestyle of people.
Stopping all incoming flights to Doha, public transportation, educational institutions, large gathering places and making 80 percent of public employees to work from distance at home, are some of the decisions made by the state of Qatar to ensure safety of the people.
Along with the preventive measures, the government has directed all to work remotely utilizing the well established digital foundation built long years ago. Private sector has been given financial and economic incentives amounting to QR75bn.
In order also to minimise the impact of these measure on businesses, in particular education, today all students in public and private schools will begin distance learning under the theme of “Distance Learning Qatar Platform for the Future”.
The Ministry of Education and Higher Education has made all technical matters ready for this process in terms of the of programs, videos, teachers, films and YouTube channels for all grades and level of education including higher education. This was made possible within a short time and virtual classrooms have already commenced for students with special needs.
Speaking about the preparations, H E Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al Nuaimi, confirmed that the Ministry has prepared 1,700 educational materials to enable public schools start the online education from today and the system will be under continuous evaluation of the competent departments.
Private schools in the country have already started the virtual classes, thanks to their existing capacities and access to the Internet, where each school has its own website making the virtual classes much easier.
For public education, the Public Relations and Communication at the Ministry has created a new educational channel on YouTube entitled “Qatar’s distance learning” using social media and YouTube channels as means to introduce educational materials and to receive audience feedback.
The step taken to facilitate flow of works, businesses and routine life of the people is in cooperation with telecommunications companies in the country. This has turned the entire country into a digital State.
