Qatar to get first Finnish school as private education options expand

In a bid to relieve some of the strain on parents hunting for school places for their children in Qatar, the Supreme Education Council has announced that five new schools will open their doors in the fall.

Among them is Qatar’s first educational facility from Finland, a country known internationally for strong student performance.

Another 23 schools are awaiting SEC approval for education licenses before they are able to open their doors, but are aiming to be ready for a September start.

Altogether, the 28 new private schools would be able to accommodate some 10,000 students, helping the rapidly growing country cope with a school place shortage that has been hurting its recruitment efforts.

According to a new regional education report, the number of pupils enrolling in private schools in Qatar will rise by between 30 to 40 percent in the next five years.

This rise in demand for places is partly due to the increasing expat population, but also comes as the average Qatari family decides to spend more on children’s education, and utilizes the expanding voucher program to place their kids in private school.

In a statement issued earlier this week, the SEC acknowledged surging demand and said that raising admissions capacity in private and independent (state) schools in Qatar was its “top priority.”

Originally posted here:

Qatar to get first Finnish school as private education options expand