Study Finds Shortage of ClassroomsCheryl Currie, News Editor, Gulf Times. |
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Unless the Ministry of Education can provide an additional 56 classrooms before the start of the academic year in 1997, an estimated 1,450 schoolgirls will have nowhere to go when the new term starts.
This is the conclusion arrived at after a detailed research programme carried out by the Geographic Informations Systems unit of the Ministry of Education.
Using their sophisticated computer equipment to access information data on school trends, locations, and make-up, the unit has compiled a report which indicated there is a shortfall of class room provision for primary school female students.
The report was compiled at the request of the ministry and will be used to plan new buildings and school extensions.
The GIS unit in the Ministry of Education agreed to identify the requirements for additional classrooms in girls primary schools at entry level.
Compiled by GIS Educational Coordinator, Moines H. El-Shafey, the report analyses the growth of student registration in girls elementary schools (public schools) and identifies the need for additional classrooms and schools in various municipalities.
Mr. El-Shafey and his team have found that 34 new classrooms need to be provided in the Doha Municipality area alone, and there is also an urgent need for a substantial number of new classrooms in Al Rayyan Municipality.
GIS statistics show that Al Rayyan needs an additional 17 classrooms, Al Wakra needs an additional three and Umm Slal needs a further two classes. Each new class is based on the premise that there will be 26 pupils per class.
"What this means is that given the current population growth and taking into account demographic changes, GIS has found that a total of 56 new classrooms are needed to accommodate the 1,456 extra schoolgirls who will be needing elementary schooling at public schools," he stated.
The report included all 10 municipalities in Qatar and concentrated only on girls primary school provision.
School education in the state is in three stages&emdash;primary, preparatory, and secondary. The duration of each stage is six years for primary, three years for preparatory, and three years for secondary. There are separate schools for boys and girls.
The GIS analysis considers population projections of people in different municipalities for the year 1997, estimation of population in various age groups and estimation of girls population. Statistical information from the Central Statistical Organisation was also used to lend weight to the analysis.
So how sure can GIS be that their estimates will be correct and that 1,456 schoolgirls will be left standing with their books under their arms with no school to go to?
"Well, I can't comment about kiddies having to stand outside the school gates looking in, but we are 99.9% confident that our projections are accurate and that 56 new classrooms will be needed,"said Mr. El-Shafey. "There are regular increases in new entrants in Doha, Al-Rayyan, Al-Wakrah, and Umm Slal schools and this study shows how non-geographic information can be used along with geographic information to provide useful information to management,"he stated.
"GIS can be a very powerful tool to any manager who deals with geographic information,"he stated. "Our study finds the classroom requirements in the girls primary schools at the entry level and provides a useful insight for school planners," he commented.
Courtesy of the Gulf Times