Preparations complete, 307,000 students return to school today

The new academic year is all set to begin in the country Wednesday, marking the return of more than 307,000 students to school after the summer holidays.

The necessary preparations have been completed by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and other government entities to ensure that the 2018-19 academic year has a smooth start.Teaching staff began their work on Monday to prepare for the first day of school. The ministry has signed up a total of 711 new teachers, bringing the total in public schools to 13,440, compared to 13,591 in private schools. It has also added a total of 5,065 seats by opening new schools in preparation for the new academic year. In addition, the ministry has distributed 2,117 buses to different schools for transporting students and co-ordinated with the Traffic Department to ensure the safety of these buses and the transportation process.The ministry is conducting a back-to-school campaign at Mall of Qatar until August 31 as part of its efforts to duly prepare students for the new academic year. The campaign has seen a considerable turnout of parents and students.According to local Arabic daily Arrayah, the campaign has attracted a large number of people with its diverse activities that engage children in an interactive way. The campaign has been organised by the ministry in co-operation with Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar's Sahtak Awalan – Your Health First Programme, and Qatar Unified Awareness Team. It is sponsored by QNB.Meanwhile, the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) on Tuesday said it has accomplished some key projects in preparation for the new academic year. MoI, Traffic Department advice for studentsThe Ministry of Interior (MoI) has stressed the need for students and their parents, to follow safety rules.The tips were provided through a series of posts on the MoI's Twitter page.The ministry said it is important to wait in designated areas only before boarding the school bus and also to maintain a safe distance from the road.In case it is necessary to cross the road, students should do so after ensuring that it is completely free from any vehicles and it is safe to cross.It is also important to start boarding the bus only after it comes to a complete stop and the boarding process should be conducted in an orderly manner and avoid crowding. During the trip, students should avoid playing, unnecessary movements, talking to the driver or putting school bags in the passage.On its part, the Traffic Department urged motorists to reduce the speed and follow traffic rules to ensure the safety of children. Vehicular speed should be reduced in residential neighbourhoods, near schools and on small streets to avoid accidents, the advisory said, adding that starting early would help people reach their destination on time.