The Gulf nation has released a new set of regulations to prepare for the upcoming tournament, due to kick off in less than two months.
Qatar has announced new regulations for work and school schedules during the upcoming FIFA World Cup, in a bid to ease traffic flow and kick off the last preparations to welcome the tournament.
Mohammed Nuwaymi Al Hajri, the Government Communications Office’s (GCO) official spokesperson, revealed the decisions in a video posted on the GCO Twitter account.
Slash working hours, set remote work
Per the cabinet’s new amendments, the workforce in the governmental sector will be reduced to 20% starting November 1 and up until December 19, a day after the end of the mega-event. The remaining percentage is set to work remotely.
Working hours for the government sector will also be reduced to four hours a day, from 7am to 11am.
However, the defence, military, health, or educational fields are excluded from the new regulations and will proceed with work as needed.
Meanwhile, the private sector is set to operate business as normal.
Qatar’s ministry of education has also released details regarding school working hours in all private and public schools from November 1 until November 17, as the country gears to welcome millions of visitors.
First, authorities have set the hours for all schools across the nation from 7am until 12 in the afternoon, totalling to five hours per day.
Meanwhile, during the first semester exam period from November 6 to 17, students in all schools across the nation that apply national standards will report from 9am until 11am only.
However, school time for students and employees in private nurseries and education facilities for individuals with disabilities remains the same with no changes.
The government resolution also stated that the mid-year break will run from November 20 to December 22. This will give students and schools enough time to celebrate the World Cup with the rest of the world and return to work a couple of days after the tournament ends.
The new amendments, however, have sparked several debates among parents who enrolled their children in international programs.
Such slash in hours and extension of breaks have put thousands of students currently studying American diplomas, International Baccalaureate or IGES under immense pressure to finish all the material needed for examination on time.
Parents have taken to social media groups and online platforms to protest the decision, saying that students are being overworked and given ‘too much in such little time’ for them to grasp and prepare well for their international examination.
The education government has not addressed their calls.
Road closures, traffic control
As for the roads, the cabinet announced that the Doha Corniche will be off-limits to automobiles during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The area will be designated for pedestrians starting November 1 and up until December 19 to give space for the tournament festivities to take place.
