SEC

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Students in Qatar continue to be among the world’s poorest performers, according to a new global education ranking that scored the nation behind most of its regional and international peers.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has published its biggest-ever league table of educational attainment in 76 countries, which for the first time includes under-developed and developing nations, as well as richer states.

The report, Universal basic skills: what countries stand to gain, examined how representative samples of 15-year-olds performed in math and science tests, ranking them relative to their peers in more than a third of the world’s nations.

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Qatar came in 68th place overall. Coming only ahead of Oman (72nd), it was among the GCC’s poorest performing countries.

None of the Gulf states did particularly well, with all ranking in the bottom half of the index. Students in the UAE came in 45th place, Bahrain followed at 57th and Saudi Arabia in 66th position. Kuwait did not appear in the index.

Ghana came in last overall, in 76th place, while the rankings’ top five spots were all taken by Asian nations, including Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan.

Maintaining its reputation as having one of the world’s best education systems, Finland ranked as the best-performing European country, at 6th. The United Kingdom took 20th place, while the United States was slightly further behind as it tied in 28th place with Italy.

However, some education leaders have warned that indexes can give a generalized and distorted view of the real situation of education levels in a country.

Speaking to Doha News, Niall Brennan, director of Park House English School, a private international school in Qatar, said:

“League tables based on narrow data fields should be interpreted with care and often do not represent the full picture.

Qatar has some excellent international schools which focus on equipping pupils with essential life skills such as critical thinking and problem solving as well as learning the key facts.”

Ranking system

The index used statistics from a number of international assessments, including OECD’s most recent PISA tests, which are conducted every three years to assess the knowledge and skills of 15-year-olds, and chart how nations’ education systems are performing.

Also included were figures from TIMSS tests run by US-based academics and TERCE tests in Latin America, to create a single rankings system.

In the 2012 PISA tests, which are the most recent, half-a-million 15-year-old students from 65 countries were evaluated in math, reading, science and problem-solving, as well as financial literacy.

Students here performed below average in all three categories, putting the country at the bottom of the rankings, at 62nd overall. However, the Gulf nation appeared to show signs of improving since students here were first assessed in 2006.

ACS Doha

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Both Qatar’s independent (state-funded) and private, international schools were included in the PISA test.

However, a subsequent OECD report published last July found significant performance differences between students from the public and private sectors.

Out of the 47 countries assessed for the summer report, Qatar’s private school students had the biggest advantage over their state peers, with a 108-point differential – putting the nation at the bottom of the table in terms of education equality.

Its results also showed that state-educated children were three years behind their private schools peers in math ability.

Future benefits

More than two-thirds (68 percent) of Qatar’s students didn’t pass the basic PISA levels in math and science, which equate to a score of 420.

OECD

Students’ performance in basic skills

This is despite high school enrollment rates at being approximately 98 percent in Qatar.

But if all the 15-year-olds went to school and achieved the basic skill levels, then the “long-term economic gains are going to be phenomenal,” OECD’s education director Andreas Schleicher told the BBC, speaking about the potential of countries that improve their education systems.

According to the report, Qatar figures in the top 10 countries with the most potential for economic growth. Its current GDP could increase by 1,029 percent over the lifetime of its students if it boosts its education system and raises their achievement levels, OECD said, adding that these reforms would be worth around $3.6 trillion.

Warning

The authors of the report also issued a warning to non-OECD oil-producing countries, which includes many of the Gulf states that it said appear to have become complacent in improving education standards.

Commenting that “high-quality schooling and oil don’t easily mix,” the report said that resource-rich nations “have failed to convert their natural capital into the human capital that can generate the economic and social outcomes that can sustain their future.”

It continued:

“There is an important message for countries rich in natural resources: the wealth that lies hidden in the undeveloped skills of their populations is far greater than what they now reap by extracting wealth from natural resources.”

It goes on to say that the PISA results show a “significantly negative relationship” between the money earned by countries which are rich in natural resources, and the knowledge and skills of their high-school population.

Efforts to improve

Qatar’s need to improve its education standards, particularly in the independent sector, is not new. The Supreme Education Council’s Schools and Schooling report, which was published in 2013, highlighted a number of issues affecting performance in government schools.

Teach for Qatar

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These include that one-third of independent school teachers did not have formal teaching qualifications; there were high levels of student absenteeism; and wide variations in the amount of homework set in schools.

In response, several initiatives have been brought in to tackle these problems.

The Teach for Qatar program, launched last year, trains college graduates and high-performing professionals as teachers. Meanwhile, Qatar University’s College of Education runs ongoing professional development courses to raise and maintain teachers’ skills levels.

See the full OECD report online here.

Thoughts?

(The post Report: Qatar ranks in bottom 10 of education index, but shows potential is from Doha News.)

HMC

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Stroke victims in Qatar are more than 20 years younger on average than patients in the US and UK, and far too frequently fail to seek timely medical treatment, healthcare officials have said.

In an effort to better treat residents who suffer from strokes, Hamad Medical Corp. (HMC) has launched a new campaign highlighting the symptoms of a stroke and the importance of quickly seeking help.

A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off and is one of the leading causes of death worldwide.

It’s also a pressing health concern in Qatar, where stroke victims occupy nearly one in five hospital beds in the medical ward at Hamad General Hospital at any given time, Dr. Ashfaq Shuaib told Doha News.

The average age of a stroke victim in Qatar is 54, which is roughly in line with other GCC countries, Shuaib said. However, it’s much younger than the average age of 77 for stroke patients in the US and UK.

He said the most common risk factors for a stroke – including hypertension, diabetes, smoking and a lack of exercise – are prevalent across Qatar’s population.

As in many developed countries, Qatar’s rapidly increasing wealth has heralded a drop in physical activity and made poor diets more common.

“Affluence is not directly related to (better) healthcare (outcomes),” Shuaib said. “One of the most prevalent issues is diabetes. You can manage your blood pressure better, but if you don’t exercise, that negates it.”

Meanwhile, many of the country’s low-income workers come from countries with high smoking rates, where they may not have had regular contact with medical professionals who could identify issues such as high blood pressure and discuss treatment options.

HMC

Breakdown of stroke victims by nationality.

Qatari nationals make up 17 percent of all stroke cases in Qatar, according to Hamad Medical Corp.

While that’s higher than their proportionate share of the population, Qataris tend to be overrepresented in such medical statistics because many expats are of working age and leave the country before illnesses commonly associated with older age – such as stroke, heart disease and cancer – appear.

Treatment

According to medical professionals, a stroke victim treated within 4.5 hours of symptoms appearing is generally seen as having the best chances of making a full recovery.

HMC/Facebook

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Roughly a year ago, that was only happening in 4 percent of cases in Qatar.

However, that’s more than doubled to 9 percent here, in large part because of streamlining treatment, Shuaib said.

For example, paramedics are now trained to diagnose a stroke patient and notify emergency room physicians while they’re on the way to the hospital.

Triage procedures have also been tightened up so that doctors can make an official diagnosis, conduct a CAT scan and discuss treatment options with family members as quickly as possible.

However, health officials said accelerating patient treatment can only go so far in improving outcomes.

“In the bigger scheme of things, we weren’t doing very well because people weren’t coming to the hospital,” Shuaib said, adding that only 51 percent of stroke victims arrive at hospital by ambulance soon after developing symptoms.

That’s one of the reasons that HMC has launched a new public awareness campaign to teach residents the signs that someone is having a stroke – such as drooping facial muscles, arm weakness and difficulty speaking – as well as the importance of acting quickly.

“Unlike a heart attack, where the pain hits you, brain attacks are silent,” Shuaib said, underlining the importance of quickly calling 999 at the onset of symptoms.

“Twenty years ago, there was less hope and fewer treatment options for patients. Now the treatment has becoming very advanced, increasing the odds of recovery.”

Thoughts?

(The post HMC: Strokes occurring at much younger ages in Qatar than the west is from Doha News.)

Ooredoo Qatar

Speed test

Throwing down the gauntlet this week, Qatar’s two telecom providers have been encouraging residents to test the speed of their mobile networks in hopes of proving once and for all who is the fastest.

The contest started earlier this week when Vodafone made a bold claim, announcing it operated Qatar’s speediest data network. In a statement on its website explaining recent upgrades, the provider said:

“We installed 134 new outdoor sites, 42 indoor sites, 290 4G outdoor sites and 25 4G indoor sites. With this, we have increased both our 3G and 4G coverage, doubled our 3G capacity, tripled our 4G capacity and tripled our data capacity for a better user experience.”

When residents pushed back against the company’s declaration of being number one, Vodafone launched a contest called the #225Challenge, promising free data and a new phone to anyone who could reach 225 megabits per second (Mbps) speeds on any network in Qatar.

#225Challenge If you can reach 225 Mbps on a speed test on ANY #Qatar network, you'll win 225GB of Data & an S6 Edge pic.twitter.com/cP3hk2k7wS

— Vodafone Qatar (@VodafoneQatar) May 13, 2015

Incumbent telecom company Ooredoo soon joined that challenge, encouraging residents to conduct speed tests and post the results online. Those with the top outdoor download speeds (from any network) were promised Nojoom points, free data and a 4G+ smartphone.

Irita Kirsbluma/Flickr

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Mobile data speeds can vary based on the area someone is in, the amount of users in the area, whether the person is indoors/outdoors and if there are any obstructions.

At the end of 2014, Ooredoo rolled out 4G+, the latest generation of mobile data technology, for its customers. At the time, the network said it could offer a theoretical top speed of 225 Mbps, which would allow users to almost instantly download a two-minute, 20-megabyte video clip, for example.

But Ooredoo added that users could realistically expect speeds of up to 50 Mbps – which would be fast enough to download the same video clip in four seconds.

Meanwhile, Vodafone rolled out its 4G+ service for the first time this week, saying in a statement that users could benefit from speeds of up to 150 Mbps, though they should expect an average speed of 30 Mbps.

Results

The contest was supposed to end at 2:25am this morning, and then 12:25pm, but both deadlines passed without anyone successfully reaching 225 Mbps speeds on either network.

A new deadline of 2:25pm was set, but no winners were declared as of 4pm Thursday afternoon. However, Vodafone did tweet:

Too bad the “top speed of 225Mbps” Ooredoo claims is not reachable in real life as shown by your tests #speedmatters pic.twitter.com/oVGNoiPi6C

— Vodafone Qatar (@VodafoneQatar) May 14, 2015

Speaking to Doha News, a Vodafone spokesperson said:

“The purpose of the #225challenge was to demonstrate to customers that the top speed that Ooredoo claims is only a theoretical speed that is very hard to replicate outside a controlled lab. We wanted to show that the real speed should actually be the average customer experience day-to-day. Top speed is not an indicator or customer experience so we wanted to encourage customers to see that in real life.”

Some of the fastest average speeds not obtained by either company’s employees were found by Gazanfarulla Khan, a Qatar resident who said he spent his day testing both networks.

The Best I could make of both @OoredooQatar & @VodafoneQatar on #4G network. Great stuff #225challenge #Doha #Qatar pic.twitter.com/ptUPXFvIUR

— Gazanfarulla Khan (@acepilotkhan) May 14, 2015

Speaking to Doha News, Khan said, “From what I have seen, outdoors Ooredoo stands out.” He added that the contest was good for customers, because it spurs providers to offer better service across the board.

Which network seemed faster to you? Thoughts?

(The post Ooredoo, Vodafone Qatar vie for fastest network title in #225Challenge is from Doha News.)

Dan A'Vard/Flickr

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As residential rent continues to climb in Qatar, an increasing number of employers are looking to cut costs by offering their staff housing allowances instead of company-provided accommodation, a local real estate expert has said.

The move is likely to cause short-term frustration for some of the affected expats, as many residents say allowances fail to cover the actual cost of housing in Qatar.

But Edd Brookes, the general manager of commercial real estate firm DTZ Qatar, said tenants may benefit from the shift in the long run.

The Pearl-Qatar/Twitter

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According to Brookes, many landlords are currently sitting on large blocks of vacant units in hopes of leasing them to a single company.

As fewer firms sign for these bulk rentals, more flats and villas should enter the market as building managers become more willing to lease to individuals, he said.

For example, there are thousands of new homes planned or in various stages of construction in and around Doha, particularly in large-scale development projects such as Lusail, Msheireb and the Pearl-Qatar.

Speaking to Doha News on the sidelines of last week’s Cityscape real estate conference, Brookes said the shift could also lead to better property standards:

“Where you have individuals (leasing units), they’ll tend to have a stronger voice and not be so tolerant as a (company providing employee accommodations) who might be more remote,” he said. “If you have an individual in there … it will be in the landlord’s advantage to make sure their facility management services are good.”

Not keeping pace

While specific figures are hard to come by, Brookes estimated that currently, Qatar’s rental real estate market is more or less evenly split between individual renters and employers leasing accommodation for their staff.

However, many local companies – particularly those in the oil and gas industry – are looking to cut costs by getting out of the real estate business and giving employees housing allowances instead.

CodeCarvings

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Brookes said this trend is appearing in the form of companies subleasing their residential units as employees turn over.

Incoming staff are given housing allowances rather than the vacated unit, which companies lease out to others for the remainder of the term in an attempt to recoup some of their costs and save money down the road.

But with residential rent rising between 5 and 10 percent over the last six months – a trend that DTZ expects to continue through the remainder of 2015 – some Qatar residents say their housing allowances are failing to keep pace.

This week, a study of salaries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) by online recruitment company Bayt.com and market research agency YouGov found that 85 percent of Qatar respondents said they felt the cost of living in this country rose during 2014.

However, more than a third (38 percent) said they did not get any increase in their salaries during the year to compensate.

Of those who felt their daily costs had gone up last year, more than a quarter (27 percent) said their expenses had increased by more than 20 percent.

Higher rent, food and utility bills were the key reasons for the increased costs, respondents said.

Would you prefer to receive a housing allowance or accommodation from your employer? Thoughts?

(The post DTZ: More Qatar employers cutting costs by offering housing allowances is from Doha News.)

Craig Sunter/Flickr

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As the annual summer exodus of expats preparing to repatriate to their home countries begins, the British Embassy in Doha has drawn up a list of essential administrative things to do to ensure a smooth exit.

Leaving Qatar for good entails filling out a lot of paperwork, regarding home rentals, school enrollments, bank accounts and other factors.

The “Checking Out” campaign includes a list of important reminders of matters that require attention to avoid clashing with the authorities at the last minute.

Useful information for those of you who may be leaving Qatar this summer. http://t.co/MQ48biaUkx #British_Community pic.twitter.com/ZWejYUW8c8

— British Embassy Doha (@ukinqatar) May 13, 2015

Published online and aimed to assist some of the 20,000 Britons living in Qatar, much of the advice included also applies to residents of other nationalities who are leaving the country.

The advice echoes a similar social media campaign launched earlier this month by the British mission in Abu Dhabi, which tweeted highlights from its checklist over the course of a week.

Your contract is ending? You will need to give your passport temporarily to your employer to cancel your residence visa. #ConsularUKUAE

— UKinUAE (@ukinuae) May 4, 2015

Don’t forget

The checklist includes tips on closing out bank accounts, credit cards and loans; terminating employment and sorting visas, finishing accommodation contracts; and releasing oneself from liabilities like cars and other possessions.

It reminds residents that all debts have to be cleared before leaving Qatar, and that non-payment of a debt is a criminal offense that could result in a prison sentence.

The embassy also warns that even if residents with outstanding debts manage to leave, they risk being arrested if they try to return to Qatar – even if they are just transiting through Hamad International Airport (HIA).

Lesley Walker

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

Forward planning appears to be key, as the paperwork involved in canceling bank accounts and credit cards can be time-consuming. The embassy advises starting the process at least two months before leaving the country.

It added that all credit cards and loans should be fully paid off and bank accounts emptied. Confirmation of these should be sought from the relevant banks.

A bank clearance letter is also required from employers, and a forwarding address should be left for future correspondence.

It advises those whose contract is ending to ensure they hand over their passport to their employer so they can cancel the residence permit.

“Failure to do so could delay your departure or mean you are marked on the immigration system as an absconder,” the embassy said.

It also reminded residents to:

• Request an end-of-service gratuity payout statement and payment from your employer, warning that the embassy does not mediate in employment disputes;
• Return medical cards;
• Give notice to your landlord in accordance with the conditions of your lease;
• Collect deposits from utilities, phone and internet companies and cancel all accounts;
• Sell any cars before leaving, or arrange through a lawyer for a friend to have power of attorney to do this on your behalf;
• Prepare to sell or ship your belongings, noting that it can take at least six weeks for shipments to travel from Qatar to the UK;
• Give notice to children’s schools, in accordance with their leaving policies. Arrange for the necessary transfer letters or certificates, reports and collect any deposits paid;
• Secure a police clearance certificate if your future employer requires one. This can be arranged from CEID on Salwa Road. This can also be arranged through the Qatar Embassy in London, but in this case can take up to three months; and
• Make sure that if you are traveling with a pet, you have completed all the necessary paperwork in advance. Details on the required documents for returning to the UK can be found at the British government’s website here.

What tips would you give to residents who are about to move out of Qatar? Thoughts?

(The post Checklist: Tips on what to do before leaving Qatar for good is from Doha News.)

Eric Faust

Ajyal Film Festival 2013

The Arabic word Ajyal translates into “generations,” and the seven-day event caters to young people, as well as offers screenings and events that support and promote local and regional film-makers.

Though organizers have yet to release a detailed line up of this year’s event, confirmed offerings include The Sandbox digital exhibition space, outdoor screenings and the Doha Giffoni Youth Summit industry gathering.

In a statement, Fatma Al Remaihi, DFI head and film festival director, said:

“In just two editions, we have defined a unique niche for Ajyal in the international film festival landscape.

The first two editions have shown us that we can make a positive impact on young people’s lives through cinema, and the feedback we have received from festival-goers both young and old, reinforces our belief that there is a need for a cultural event of our own that addresses the creativity of our youth.”

This year’s festival is also expected to see the return of youth juries, comprising of volunteers aged 8-21 years old who watch, analyze and discuss movies made by filmmakers from around the world.

The juries are divided into three age groups – Mohaq for jurors aged 8-12 years, Hilal for those aged 13-17 years and Bader for 18-21-year-olds.

Collectively, the juries select five directors or producers to receive Best Filmmaker awards, which gives them funding towards their next movie. The registration process to apply to become a juror will open in September, DFI said.

The Ajyal Festival started in November 2013 after DFI redesigned its events to focus on young people following the end of its four-year partnership with the Tribeca Film Festival.

Last year’s highlights

While the inaugural festival in 2013 was structured around the theme of Japanese anime, last year’s event had broader appeal, focusing on “rediscovering cinema.”

The Prophet

The 2014 public program of events and screenings included the the world premiere of Palestinian racing documentary Speed Sisters and the regional premiere of Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet, which was attended by producer Salma Hayek and which is currently showing in movie theaters in Qatar.

Last year’s event also featured 90 films from 45 countries, including the debut of 20 productions by local filmmakers under its Made In Qatar category.

Included in the lineup was one of Qatar’s first zombie films, Qarar (which means “decision” in English). The short film focused on a young married couple trying to survive a post-apocalyptic zombie epidemic – in Qatar.

The festival also had a number of family events at Katara esplanade, including a pop-up cinema that screened for free the Lord of the Rings trilogy as well as the first two chapters of The Hobbit.

DFI also organizes Qumra film festival, which launched in March this year to support upcoming film makers through masterclasses, workshops and mentoring sessions in addition to some public screenings.

Are you excited for the upcoming festival? Thoughts?

(The post Doha Film Institute’s third Ajyal youth festival to return in November is from Doha News.)

All photos by Marium Saeed

Fans flooded the Qatar Sports Club last night to support their favorite athletes as the sixth season of the IAAF Diamond League kicked off in Doha.

The opening of the highly anticipated track and field tournament saw the smashing of several records, including a new personal best for US sprinter Justin Gatlin, who set a world-leading time of 9.74 seconds in the 100 meters.

Double Olympic and world champion Mo Farah also competed ferociously in the 3,000 meter race, but despite his huge fan base and impressive performance, the UK athlete came in second to Hagos Gebrhiwet, who achieved a world lead at 7:38.08.

Marium Saeed

IAAF Diamond League

Meanwhile, Allyson Felix secured her spot in first place in the women’s 200-meter race and also achieved a Diamond League record of 21.98.

Amid the big names, several emerging athletes like Jasmin Stowers wowed the crowd with their performances. Stowers took first place in the women’s 100-meter hurdle ahead of Olympic champion Sally Pearson, who came in fourth.

The Diamond League tournament consists of 14 meetings and 32 different disciplines.

In line with its increasing interest in hosting international sporting events, Doha staged the first ever Diamond League at Qatar Sports Club stadium in 2010.

During a recent press conference, Felix said:

“Qatar has hosted so many sports events in recent years, they are doing an amazing job. They are constantly building and introducing new innovations. Athletes always love to be here.”

The Doha leg has concluded and the next stop for this year’s league will be Shanghai, with the final meeting set to take place in Brussels on Sept. 11.

More results from the Doha meeting can be found online here.

Thoughts?

(The post Fans cheer as records smashed at IAAF Diamond League opener in Qatar is from Doha News.)

Pete/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

The Ministry of Environment has indefinitely shelved plans to phase out energy-hungry domestic air conditioning (A/C) units pending further study, the Peninsula reports.

The announcement comes three months after officials said that only eco-friendly units would be sold in Qatar stores starting this fall.

The goal of rolling out these new units was to help cut electricity consumption in Qatar, which has soared in recent years due to the growing population.

Time running out

According to the Qatar National Development Strategy 2011-16, domestic AC units account for two-thirds (67 percent) of total residential power consumption.

With less than two years to go to fulfill the strategy, finding greener ways of cooling homes has become a priority for authorities.

A small change in our consumption of electricity and water can affect our sustainability http://t.co/fAgoyswHDO

— ترشيد قطر (@TarsheedQatar) May 9, 2015

But this week, Dr. Mohammed bin Saif Al Kuwari, assistant undersecretary for laboratory and specifications at the MOE, said that a new committee has been formed to look into eco-friendly AC units.

“This is to avoid importing defective air conditioners. We need to study the durability and effectiveness of the new A/Cs for a long time before importing,” Al Kuwari said.

Meanwhile, the MOE has also fallen behind an April deadline to stop importing tungsten (incandescent) light bulbs, in favor of energy-efficient LED bulbs.

Officials in Qatar have been talking about phasing out old ACs and lightbulbs for years, but the relative higher cost of energy-efficient models has made implementation difficult.

Al Kuwari told local media that a decision on the import ban would be made “soon.”

Thoughts?

(The post Qatar scraps September deadline to phase out energy-hungry AC units is from Doha News.)

Damon McDonald/Flickr

Doha skyline

When it comes to unlocking the talent of its workforce, Qatar fares well above most of its MENA peers, according to a new index from the World Economic Forum.

The 2015 edition of the Human Capital Report assessed 124 countries on factors such as education levels, skills and employment rates.

WEF

Regional rankings

Out of the 12 MENA countries in the index, Qatar came in third, behind Israel (29th) and the UAE (54th). The three nations were the only ones in the region to make it into the upper half of the rankings.

By comparison, Saudi Arabia scored 85th, and Kuwait, 93rd. Several other Arab countries ranked near the bottom of the index, including Morocco (95th), Tunisia (98th) and Yemen (124th).

Finland was ranked first, in large part due to its strong educational system. Canada ranked 4th, the US 17th and the UK 19th.

Qatar’s score

What appeared to put Qatar ahead of many nations in the region was the growth potential of its young population.

The report broke down opportunities available to different age groups in each country, and Qatar’s rankings fared best when it came to the under-15 age group:

• Under 15 years old: 13th (the only Arab country in the top 30)
• 15-24 years old: 71st
• 25-54 years old: 75th
• 55-64 years old: 66th
• 65 years old and over: 75th

According to the report:

“The United Arab Emirates (54) and Qatar (56) benefit significantly from the strong perceived quality of their primary schools (13th and 9th overall, respectively) and overall education systems (9th and 3rd, respectively), but also report some of the lowest tertiary and vocational enrollment rates among their 15–24 age groups in the Index.”

However, the notion that Qatar’s primary schools are well-performing was seriously challenged this week, when a new global ranking put the Gulf state near the bottom of a 76-nation-index.

Education challenges

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development report examined how representative samples of 15-year-olds performed in math and science tests, ranking them relative to their peers in more than a third of the world’s nations.

Qatar came in 68th place overall. Coming only ahead of Oman (72nd), it was among the GCC’s poorest performing countries.

WEF

Education levels obtained by 25-34-year-olds in Qatar.

Still, it appears that high enrollment rates in primary education here point to the possibility that talent is being developed.

The WEF report encouraged Qatar and other Gulf nations to continue fostering that growth by ensuring more of its population go to college.

WEF’s inaugural human talent index was released in 2013. At that time, Qatar ranked 18th out of 122 nations globally, and first in the Middle East.

However, one of the report’s authors told Doha News that new methodologies were used to calculate this year’s index, so it is not comparable to the previous one.

Read the full WEF report here, and see more on Qatar below:

Thoughts?

(The post Report: Qatar among region’s strongest in developing human capital is from Doha News.)

MOI/Facebook

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Dozens of small businesses will no longer need to wait for Civil Defense approval before applying for their commercial licenses, according to new rules announced by the Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC).

The new measures take effect today and apply to businesses in 55 categories, including beauty salons, car showrooms, cafes, mini-marts, clothing stores and cycle repair shops.

These companies no longer need to get pre-approval from Civil Defense before starting their paperwork to secure their Commercial Registration (CR), a document needed by all businesses before they can legally operate.

Announcing the decision in Arabic, the ministry said on Twitter: “MEC to start a class of 55 licensed businesses without a pre-condition to obtain a certificate from Civil Defense.”

وزارة الاقتصاد والتجارة تبدأ بترخيص 55 فئة من المنشأت التجارية بدون شرط الحصول المسبق على شهادة الدفاع المدني. (2/2) pic.twitter.com/CDwCKxK3Tu

— الاقتصاد والتجارة (@MEC_QATAR) May 16, 2015

According to the Ministry of Interior on Facebook, some businesses should also now be allowed to renew their CRs prior to obtaining Civil Defense approval.

Cutting red tape

The change is being billed by authorities as an “incentive” for entrepreneurs to set up small and medium sized operations, who can now be issued Civil Defense certificates up to 30 days after receiving the CR.

However, shops are still required to obtain the necessary safety approvals before beginning trading, the MEC said as it announced the joint initiative with the Ministry of Interior’s General Directorate of Civil Defense.

Heather/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

Previously, the requirements for start-ups applying for a CR included having a one-year lease for Civil Defense-approved office space as well as QR200,000 (US$54,921) in a bank account.

However, entrepreneurs have complained that the system produces caused unnecessary delays to the launch of their businesses, as waits particularly for Civil Defense sign-offs can be lengthy.

A businessman running a garage in the industrial area was quoted by The Peninsula last year as saying: “The unending wait to get fire and safety licenses is killing our businesses.”

He continued:

“There are instances where entrepreneurs had to wait 10 months to get a fire safety license. Waiting for such a long time to start a business means that the entrepreneur is losing big money against his establishment cost.”

Fire safety requirements in Qatar were tightened months after the 2012 Villaggio fire, in which 19 people – including 13 children – died.

New rules

The MEC said in a statement in Arabic that the new rules applied to businesses in premises of no more than 250 sq meters and aimed to “reduce the length of time to extract and renew business licenses.”

Richard Messenger/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

The categories of operations which the waiver applies to include: confectionary and flower stores, telecom services, calligraphers and painters, beauty salons, lawyers’ offices, travel agents, trade events, car showrooms, massage parlors, tailors, internet cafes, electricians, laundries, jewelers, cycle repair shops, supermarkets, grocery stores, tobacconists, clothing stores and opticians.

A full list is published in Arabic on the MEC’s website.

As businesses still need to get sign-off from Civil Defense before they are legally allowed to start trading, it is not clear how the new regulations would actually ease the burden on entrepreneurs.

Over the past few years, Qatar has been stepping up efforts to encourage more people to set up their own businesses and reduce the dependency on the public sector for providing jobs.

A survey conducted last year by Ooredoo found that youth in Qatar had some of the highest entrepreneurial ambitions among their GCC peers, but that regulatory requirements were stifling their enthusiasm.

Christian Schnettelker / Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

Previously, experts have called for fewer regulations to help more small businesses get off the ground.

Speaking at Global Entrepreneurship Week last year, Thomas Emerson, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University Qatar, said the country needs to “lower the barriers” to starting a new business.

He specifically suggested streamlining the business application process, which he described as one of the “barriers to business creation.”

Thoughts?

(The post Civil Defense approvals streamlined for some Qatar entrepreneurs is from Doha News.)

Updated at 12:40pm with news of one death and 3:13pm with comments from crane owner.

At least one person has been killed and three people injured after part of a construction crane collapsed near F Ring this morning, the manager of the company that planned to use the crane has said.

Witnesses who spoke to Doha News said the crane fell across both sides of traffic near the old Airforce Roundabout around 10am, creating massive traffic backups in the area.

One motorist said she saw an ambulance onsite treating people for their wounds.

Several photos of the scene being passed around on social media show a body covered in a blue sheet and blood splattered on the crane crash site.

What happened

According to an official from local construction company MedGulf, which owned the crane, a subcontractor had been in the middle of installing the device when it toppled over.

He told Doha News that the crane had not yet been operational, and that the windy weather may have contributed to the collapse. One of the people who was working on the installation was killed, he added.

The company and police are investigating the accident, the manager said, continuing:

“God rest his soul in peace and we sincerely hope something like this doesn’t happen in the future.”

Several hours after the accident, the Ministry of Interior commented that police were on site to direct traffic, but did not say how many injuries and fatalities occurred.

An accident led to partial closure of road from Air Force signal to Parachute signal, authorities taking procedures to ensure traffic flow.

— Ministry of Interior (@MOI_QatarEn) May 17, 2015

As police work to clear the crane, traffic was being rerouted onto F-Ring Road through side streets.

Thoughts?

(The post One killed after crane falls down on Old Airport Road in Qatar (updated) is from Doha News.)

Ijaz Khan

The fire at a labor camp earlier this month.

A dozen Sri Lankan expats displaced by a massive labor camp fire earlier this month have been arrested and are expected to be deported from Qatar after apparently refusing to go to work last week.

However, a spokesperson for their employer, Seven Group, said the arrested men were not punished for failing to report to work. Instead, they stand accused of setting fires in their new labor camp, and for blocking some of their colleagues from going to work and accessing food supplies.

The detained men were among some 400 expats living in Sailiya who lost most of their possessions in this month’s fire. There were unconfirmed reports that two men died in the fire, which one of the labor camp tenants said he believed was caused by an electrical fault.

A community leader with knowledge of the incident told Doha News that the arrested men were among more than 100 individuals who effectively quit their jobs after the accident.

Wishing for home

Speaking to Doha News, the Seven Group manager said approximately 150 employees asked to be sent home in the aftermath of the fire, but did not give a specific reason why they wanted to terminate their employment.

According to the community leader, the fire was the latest in a string of frustrations for the men, which included disagreements with their employer about overtime and visa renewals, among other issues.

Seven Group provides workers to clean and serve drinks in offices around Qatar, and has several long-term contracts with government entities. The manager said that faced with a sudden employee exodus, the company asked the men to stay on for a while longer as replacement workers were hired.

There were also logistical issues surrounding processing so many termination requests.

Guilhem Vellu / Flickr

Hamad International Airport

“We don’t have a private plane to fly them (home),” he said.

He added that the 100 or so workers began protesting when they were not sent home immediately.

However, the community leader following this case said the employees had grown distrustful of their company and simply refused to return to work.

“They were not protesting … This has gone out of proportion,” he said.

According to an official from the Sri Lankan embassy, some 115 workers refused to show up for work on Thursday. That same day, police officers went to the camp and arrested 12 men. The embassy official said he was not aware why those specific men were targeted.

via Hazim Hamza

The labor camp fire earlier this month.

The Seven Group manager said the company would honor the requests of the workers who want to return home and would pay them their remaining wages and end-of-service benefits. He estimated that the company could repatriate around 100 expats a month.

Following the fire, the men were relocated to temporary accommodation in the Industrial Area for a day before being moved into a labor camp in Al Shahaniya in central Qatar.

An official from their embassy said he had inspected and approved the new housing.

“There’s no reason for them to refuse work, because the company provided them with good accommodations,” the embassy official said.

He said he did not know why the men were refusing the work.

Previous incidents

It’s remains unclear whether the police arrested the workers due to the the arson allegations or over the notion that the men were refusing to work, as strike action is considered illegal in Qatar.

Such labor action is a rare occurrence in Qatar. Local laws make it effectively impossible for non-Qataris to strike, and authorities are highly sensitive to dissent within its large foreign workforce.

Peter Kovessy

A crowd gathers last November at the labor accommodations of hundreds of expats who have gone on strike over pay conditions.

Nevertheless, there have been a handful of incidents in recent years, including Al Million taxi drivers protesting the daily fees they must pay their employer, as well as bus drivers refusing to shuttle students to school in September 2013 after their demands for higher wages and better treatment were denied.

And last November, roughly 100 construction workers were arrested in the Industrial Area after they went on strike.

The men told Doha News they were being paid less than they had been promised in their home country before they moved to Qatar.

Few options

Human rights advocates have previously argued that it should be easier for foreign workers in Qatar to file grievances and seek redress from their employers.

Lacking alternatives, low-income workers often feel they have no other option but to strike, Human Rights Watch researcher Nick McGeehan previously told Doha News.

MOLSA/Twitter

MOLSA complaint machine

The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has taken steps to address this by, for example, installing multilingual kiosks last summer at a half-dozen of its branches that allow individuals to lodge a complaint electronically.

Expats also have the option of filing a case in labor court, where they often receive a favorable ruling, US researcher Andrew Gardner said in a report late last year.

However, that’s only if they “make it to the finish line,” he said, noting that many individuals encounter hurdles in pursuing their case.

Challenges include understanding how to approach the justice system, language barriers, finding transportation to hearings and, in some cases, not having any income as their case proceeds.

Thoughts?

(The post Police arrest 12 laborers in Qatar following repatriation dispute is from Doha News.)

Kimo/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

Qatar’s rapidly increasing population is driving up vehicle maintenance and ownership costs, causing car owners here to be among those literally paying the price for the country’s rapid growth.

Last week, Qatar’s Ministry of Planning Development and Statistics (MPDS) reported that transportation costs jumped 6 percent last month compared to April 2014.

Analyzing these latest inflation figures, Qatar National Bank (QNB) said in a report today that vehicle prices are climbing due to higher demand from the country’s growing population.

The report is likely to add to an ongoing debate over whether the government should regulate vehicle prices in Qatar. The idea has been floated on multiple occasions in recent years and was most recently revived in March.

Michał Ryśniak/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

Officials from the Ministry of Economy and Commerce have acknowledged complaints from some residents who accuse dealerships of “price manipulation,” saying that certain vehicle models are more expensive in Qatar than in other GCC countries.

That claim is fiercely denied by some auto dealers who say their prices are not out of line with vehicles sold elsewhere in the Gulf.

The new figures also likely underscore the need for more auto showrooms and maintenance facilities to keep up with Qatar’s growing population, which has grown by 118,142 people since the start of 2015.

Real estate developer Barwa has proposed to address the issue by constructing a “Motor City” in Rawdat Rashid containing showrooms, maintenance yards, workshops and various ancillary services.

It first raised the idea in 2011, and then revived it last October. The company said at the time that construction on the development was expected to last four years.

Rising inflation

Last month’s overall increase in Qatar’s cost of living was relatively modest. Prices for consumer goods were up 0.9 percent last month over April 2014 and unchanged from March 2015, according to the MDSP.

Still, in addition to transportation costs, Qatar’s growing economy and expanding population continue to put upwards pressure on education fees and rental rates.

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

However, that was offset in part by declining prices for recreation and cultural activities as well as a drop in communication costs in April.

The increase in food prices was also modest, as Qatar benefitted from record global harvests, large US stockpiles and weak international demand, according to QNB.

While inflation may have been muted in the first four months of the year, QNB is warning local consumers that their expenses are likely to creep upwards in the coming months.

It predicted that inflation would rise to 2.5 percent by the end of this year, before accelerating to 3.2 percent next year and 3.5 percent in 2017 due to further increases in residential rates and a recovery in international food prices.

That news is likely not going to sit well with residents who say that salaries are already failing to keep pace with Qatar’s increasing cost of living.

Thoughts?

(The post Report: Growing population putting pressure on Qatar car prices is from Doha News.)

Penny Yi Wang

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

For at least the second time this year, a foreign journalist reporting in Qatar has been arrested and detained by police after visiting the Industrial Area to investigate the living conditions of migrant workers here.

Mark Lobel, a BBC journalist based in Dubai, was one of roughly a dozen international reporters and photographers invited by the Ministry of Labor to visit several worker accommodation developments in Qatar earlier this month.

Mark Lobel/Facebook

Mark Lobel

Speaking to Doha News, Lobel said he was pulled over while driving and arrested shortly after 4pm on Saturday, May 2 and then held by officers from Qatar’s Criminal Investigations Division (CID) until 4am on Monday, May 4.

He said he was then placed under a travel ban and prevented from leaving the country until Sunday, May 10. However, the crew’s equipment and hard drives have still not been returned.

Lobel’s detention is similar to what happened to German broadcast journalist Florian Bauer, who was arrested and detained by Qatar police in late March. After Bauer made his case public more than a month later, local authorities noted that he had been filming without a permit.

Bauer admitted that he did not have official permission to film, despite submitting multiple requests in the weeks leading up to his visit. However, he also said that the police never asked him if he possessed a permit as they were arresting him.

What happened

Lobel arrived in Qatar several days before the start of the official media tour, which was led by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs as well as the recently created Government Communications Office.

HIAQatar / Twitter

Hamad International Airport

He added that he was followed by the authorities from the moment he cleared immigration at Hamad International Airport, based on surveillance photographs that were later shown to him.

The reporter said that on May 2, he was arrested with his driver, a camera operator visiting Qatar and an expat journalist based in Qatar after eight white vehicles surrounded their car and forced them onto a side road.

After being held for nearly 36 hours, the journalists were released. However, the police continued their investigation by bringing in at least one locally-based journalist in Qatar for questioning, who said they were accused of “defaming the country.”

Wrong visa

In a report published in the BBC today, Lobel said authorities did not initially accuse him or his crew of anything directly, but instead “asked over and over what we had done and who we had met.”

However, he was later told at the public prosecutor’s office that he was working outside the parameters of the tourist visa on which he had entered Qatar.

“I explained there was no other visa you can get,” he told Doha News, noting that he had followed the instructions of the government officials who organized the media tour for entering the company.

Chris Fleming / Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

That included providing his passport details, which is how he suspects he was flagged as he entered the country.

“This was not a sneaky trip. The only reason we were there was because we were invited.”

According to the locally based expat journalist who was brought in for questioning following Lobel’s release, other reporters on the government’s media tour also entered on tourist visas.

Speaking to Doha News on condition of anonymity, the journalist added that the detentions of Lobel and Bauer show how it’s effectively impossible for a foreign reporter to work in Qatar while following the letter of the law.

Media freedom questions

Technically, foreign correspondents are supposed to register with Qatar News Agency and be hosted by a local organization, such as the country’s World Cup organizers.

The host pledges to be responsible for the journalist’s behavior, as well as how all the material they produce is used going forward.

The latter clause runs counter to the principles of journalistic independence and is impossible to comply with in practice, the locally-based source said.

Alain Bachellie/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

Meanwhile, a filming permit is only given to foreign journalists for very specific and narrowly defined shoots, which would make it effectively impossible for an unaccompanied reporter to, for example, explore the Industrial Area with a camera, the journalist added.

“It’s clear that the government has little interest in allowing any press freedom (regarding) the labor issue, or any other globally relevant issue around Qatar unless it suits their interest.”

However, the country’s senior government leaders have a different message. Speaking to the Lobel after his detention, Abdullah Saleh Al Khulaifi – Qatar’s minister of labor and social affairs – said:

“Qatar is an open country forever, since ever … The shortcomings that I am facing, the problems I am facing, I cannot hide. Qatar is open and now with the smartphones, everyone is a journalist.”

Lobel also reported that FIFA is investigating the incident and told him that any “apparent restriction of press freedom is of concern.”

Lobel’s arrest, like the detention of Bauer earlier this year, will likely draw fresh international condemnation from rights advocates at a time when Qatar is actively working to improve the country’s image with the help of British public relations firm Portland Communications.

Thoughts?

(The post Qatar police monitor, arrest and detain BBC journalist is from Doha News.)

Muhammad Kamran Qureshi/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

Qatar residents could be in for a searing summer that lasts longer and is hotter than usual this year, according to weather experts who are predicting the return of the climate pattern known as El Niño.

The heat may pose a particular challenge for those observing Ramadan in June, as the fasting day in Qatar will last more than 15 hours during the first third of the month.

In a statement this week, the Qatar Meteorology Department forecast the return of El Niño this summer, explaining its effects on the weather here and through the wider Gulf:

“This situation may lead to a rise in temperature in East and South Africa, Asia and Gulf area the coming summer…

Some global Numerical Weather Production shows that the continuation probability of this phenomenon during summer may reach 80 percent and may extend until after September.”

What is El Niño?

El Niño describes the changes in trade winds across the Pacific Ocean that accompany increases in sea temperature, which can lead to extreme weather conditions across the globe.

Muhammad Kamran Qureshi/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

The MET’s warning follows recent predictions issued by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, of an 80 percent chance of the re-emergence of the weather phenomenon.

Meanwhile, the US government’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC) put the likelihood ofEl Niño’s return at closer to 90 percent in a recently-published advisory.

In addition to heating up the Gulf, the fluctuations in sea temperature and wind speeds could cause droughts in Australia and Indonesia. The effects also extend to the Americas, which could see heavy rains and flooding.

El Niño occurs in cycles, usually every three to four years, with episodes typically lasting nine to 12 months, but some prolonged events may last for years, according to the US’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Ramadan hours

Meanwhile, with Ramadan due to start in mid-June this year, fasting hours in Qatar are expected to be more than 15 hours for at least the first 10 days of the holy month.

The first day of Ramadan is forecast to start around June 18. At that time, dawn will be around 3:15am, while sunset will not begin until just after 6:32pm. Thereafter, the fasting hours will shorten slightly, by about 10 minutes during the remainder of Ramadan.

However, the fast will still be shorten than in most of Europe and North America, where daylight can last 20 hours a day in mid-summer.

Although work hours are generally reduced for Muslims during Ramadan, many schools will still be open until late June or early July.

In Qatar, it is not permitted to eat, drink or chew gum in public during the fasting hours.

Thoughts?

(The post Qatar summer expected to be longer, hotter this year thanks to El Niño is from Doha News.)

For illustrative purposes only.

Five Qatari nationals have been handed lengthy prison terms and ordered to pay large fines after a court in the UAE convicted them for posting insulting images of that country’s royal family on Twitter and Instagram, a UAE newspaper has reported.

The National said Hamad Al Hammadi, 33, was found guilty of attempting to ruin UAE government’s reputation by spreading insulting images of the country’s symbols.

He was ordered to spend 10 years in jail and pay a Dh1 million (QR990,880) fine. Four other Qatari individuals, which the newspaper did not name, were convicted in absentia and handed a life sentence as well as Dh1 million fines.

Several UAE residents reacted angrily after news of the verdict broke earlier today, saying the sentence was too lenient.

الحكم 10 سنوات وغرامة مليون درهم على القطري حمد الحمادي والسجن المؤبد غيابيا لأربعة آخرين في قضية #بوعسكور التي تمثل خسة و وقاحة الجار !

— أحمد خليفة (@_A_khalifa) May 18, 2015

(Translation: What they did represents the insolence of the (UAE’s) neighbors and how low they stoop)

@_A_khalifa @mohd_alkhatri والله قليله في حقهم هذولي الانجاس

— wwfahd (@wwfahd1) May 18, 2015

(Translation: The sentence was too lenient for those lowlives)

Others jumped into the conversation by defending the convicted man and disparaging Emirati citizens with a common Arabic insult.

@wwfahd1 @_A_khalifa @mohd_alkhatri النجس أنت وطوايفك ياسفيهة ، جزمة أصغر قطري برأسك أنت وقبيلتك كلها

— Aba (@flynthesky22) May 18, 2015

(Translation: The shoes of the youngest Qatari is bigger than your head and the heads of (UAE nationals))

After reading some of the online comments, one Qatar resident said he hoped the people of the two countries would put their differences aside in the aftermath of last year’s diplomatic dispute:

“The two countries are coming together and the political unrest is fortunately becoming a thing of the past,”  said Zaid Qassim. “That means coming together on all fronts, political resolutions between the governments … and avoiding tensions between the people of these countries be it social media or any other platform.”

The individuals were convicted of posted the material under the Twitter and Instagram accounts @bo3skor101, @bo3skor2021, @northsniper, @9ip and @bo3skor1011. Much of the offending material is still online, and also includes doctored, derogatory images of Qatar’s royal family.

During the trial, the convicted individuals were referred to as “foreign agents” working for Qatar’s state security agency.

Defense arguments

Yutaka Tsutano/Flickr

For illustrative purposes only.

According to previous reports in The National, Al Hammadi’s lawyer conceded that his client had purchased the SIM cards for the phones on which the offending material was found. But he argued that Al Hammadi had bought the SIM cards on the direction of his manager and did not use them himself.

Additionally, the lawyer raised questions about who actually created the images. He said they had been circulated on a WhatsApp group chat and had been automatically downloaded to the phones that were eventually seized by investigators.

“There is no evidence that (Al Hammadi) was in fact the one using the number or devices in evidence, or the one behind the Twitter or Instagram accounts,” lawyer Hamdan Al Zeyoodi told the court, according to The National.

The prosecutor, meanwhile, argued that the defamation campaign was part of a “military mission” that involved the men pretending they were locals “to show that Emiratis had offended their own leaders,” The National reported in April.

The men were tried under the UAE’s cybercrime law, which was introduced in 2012 and has been condemned by human rights advocates. In a report last year, Amnesty International said authorities have used the law’s “broad and sweeping” provisions to prosecute activists for using Twitter and other social media platforms to criticize the UAE’s human rights record or to call for greater freedoms.

Qatar’s own cybercrime legislation was passed into law last September to comply with an agreement among Gulf states to criminalize online insults of the region’s royal families, Qatar’s former justice minister told Doha News last year.

Thoughts?

(The post Report: UAE court convicts Qataris for social media insults is from Doha News.)

Chantelle D'mello

Doha Fun Fair equipment at QSC

The opening of a temporary amusement park on the grounds of the Qatar Sports Club in West Bay has been pushed back until the fall due to difficulties in securing the necessary permits, the organizer said.

The Doha Fun Fair was initially scheduled to launch in late March and run for five weeks. It planned to feature roller coasters, swinging boat rides, a snow globe attraction and various other rotating and moving contraptions.

Some of the more unique adult-oriented rides included a “slingshot” that catapulted riders inside a roll-cage into the air.

KimBruch

Skyflyer ride, for illustrative purposes

There was also supposed to be a “Sky Flyer,” where riders, attached to a central column by a rope, are swung in almost free-fall circles.

Though many of the rides were set up at QSC in March and April, they had to be taken recently due to another event at the venue.

Bilal Siddiqui, the project’s operations manager, told Doha News that the fun fair needed to obtain some 11 separate permits from various government ministries before it could open. Completing all the necessary paperwork took longer than usual, he said.

“We tried our level best to get all the approvals … They had to ensure that they were taking the proper precautions, which is understandable,” Siddiqui said.

For example, he said that obtaining the fair’s Civil Defense permit took about a month and a half, while securing the license for its CCTV security cameras took an additional two weeks.

“All that was remaining was an approval for security guards from the ministry and police, but before that could be approved, we received notice that we had to vacate the space,” he said.

Marium Saeed

IAAF Diamond League

Approximately three weeks ago, the Doha Fun Fair was told to clear the premises to make way for this year’s IAAF Diamond League, an annual series of track and field events.

Currently, the rides have been relocated to the back of the Sports Club, and will soon be moved to a proper storage location.

The company now plans to open the amusement park in September as temperatures in Qatar begin to cool.

The Doha Fun Fair is a joint venture between local events company Dania Events and Alan Crow Amusements, a UK-based company specializing in theme park rides that has previously worked at the Dubai Global Village.

Other offerings

While the fair’s postponed opening knocks one attraction off Qatar’s summer events calendar, other venues are planning multiple events as part of the Qatar Tourism Authority’s second annual Summer Festival.

Chantelle D'mello

The 2014 Qatar Summer Festival

The month-long event is scheduled for August and will feature new attractions, cultural events and brand promotions across Qatar.

An indoor Entertainment City will be set up at the Doha Exhibition Center, complete with a skateboarding rink, rock climbing walls as well as crafts, games and stage shows for children.

Festival organizers said in a statement that the program would also include open-air public displays, theatre and classical concerts, comedy shows, film screenings and musical performances.

The final program has not yet been released.

Thoughts?

(The post Launch of Doha Fun Fair amusement park postponed to September is from Doha News.)

All renderings courtesy of Al Bandary Real Estate

As construction in the new city of Lusail picks up the pace, a local developer has unveiled plans for a waterpark-themed condo tower situated off of Qatar’s coastline.

The high-end “Amwaj” development, which means “waves” in Arabic, is being led by Bandary Real Estate. Promotional images on the company’s website show the tower surrounded by more than a half-dozen pools on multiple floors, some of which are connected by waterslides.

Each unit is expected to have a swimming pool on the balcony, according to a report in Arabian Business, which said construction is expected to begin this year and take three years to complete. The article added that the building is likely to be 29 stories tall.

According to Bandary, the architectural design was inspired by the “curvy look of an ocean wave, which sculpts the water of the neighboring sea.” The developer added that the luxury building would contain one, two, three and four-bedroom units and host several restaurants.

Bandary appears to have more than a half-dozen luxury real estate projects in the planning and development stages, including several mixed-use and low-rise buildings in Lusail.

The company also recently announced that it had sold all the units in its Jumana Two tower, which is located in Porto Arabia in the Pearl-Qatar.

Bold proposals

Many developers in Qatar are concentrated on the high-end market and in recent years have incorporated bold architectural features and designs into their residential and hospitality projects to differentiate themselves.

M. Castedo Architects

Silver Pearl Hotel rendering

This has led to a raft of eye-catching proposals, including a US$1.6 billion offshore hotel called the Silver Pearl and Katara Hospitality’s “crossed swords” towers in Lusail.

The latter project is one of the most ambitious proposals for the master-planned city of Lusail, which is envisioned to be home to around 450,000 residents when it’s complete.

The city contains four purpose-built islands and 19 “multi-purpose residential, mixed-use, entertainment and commercial districts,” according to documents outlining the vision for the city.

Early progress, however, has disappointed some of the city’s first would-be residents.

After enduring years of construction delays, some have complained about substandard quality in their supposed “luxury” homes, as well as extra fees and changes to the floorplan designs.

Thoughts?

(The post Qatar developer floats plans for waterpark residential tower in Lusail is from Doha News.)

MMUP facebook page

Baby giraffe born in Doha Zoo

The temporarily closed Doha Zoo has recently welcomed its newest resident, a baby giraffe, the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning (MMUP) announced this week.

ولادة زرافة جديدة بحديقة الحيوان #الدوحة #قطر #البلدية_قطر #Qatar #BaladiyaQatar pic.twitter.com/PmcdSCcdfP

— البلدية والتخطيط (@albaladiya) May 18, 2015

The calf is a reticulated giraffe, also known as the Somali giraffe, due to its original habitat in southern Somalia, southern Ethiopia and northeastern Kenya.

According to the MMUP, the life span of the animal is between 25 and 28 years. Pregnancy in this species of giraffe lasts from 453 to 464 days, or about 15 months, Baladiya added.

New zoo

The 30-year old Doha Zoo, which is located opposite Aspire Park and Villaggio Mall, was abruptly closed in August 2012 for renovations, after being criticized for its small size, outdated facilities and treatment of animals.

Ashghal

Doha Zoo rendering

The site is expected to be replaced with a multi-million dollar safari park that is scheduled to open to visitors in late 2017.

Last month, Qatar’s public works authority awarded a QR45 million (US$12.3 million) contract to a local company to demolish the buildings and facilities that are currently on site.

Speaking to Doha News, an MMUP spokesperson said today that the zoo animals continue to live in the old facility, but he was unsure when they would be moved to make way for the demolition.

Last year, Ashghal said that the animals would remain at the former zoo for at least another year, until an animal containment facility is built to house them when construction moves forward.

A spokeswoman previously told Doha News:

“The health and wellness of the Doha Zoo’s animals are of utmost priority. The enabling works that have commenced will be undertaken while ensuring the protection and maintenance of all the natural environments of the zoo.”

The temporary facility is located in Rawdhat Al Faras, off of Al Shamal Highway at the Al Zubara Interchange. That building would include residences for caretakers and a veterinary clinic.

Meanwhile, Aswan Trading and Contracting Company is scheduled to spend the next 14 months preparing the site for the main construction, as well as preserving and maintaining the “trees and natural environment” during excavation works.

Zoo plans

The new zoo is expected to be seven times bigger than the current zoo and will host some 3,000 animals.

Ashghal

Doha Zoo rendering

It will be divided into several regions themed around the natural and climatic features of three continents: An “African safari” characterized by forests and savanas, an “Asia woodland” with mountains and a South American rainforest.

Each region is expected to be accessible through multiple safari trips by car, boat and foot.

When completed, there is also supposed to be a cable car link from Villaggio mall and a “seven-star” treehouse hotel, in addition to themed restaurants and shops, and a large underground parking facility.

Thoughts?

(The post After 15-month pregnancy, giraffe gives birth to newest Doha Zoo addition is from Doha News.)

Avolore / Flickr.com

For illustrative purposes only.

With translation from Heba Fahmy

To help manage teacher shortages in Qatar’s state schools, the Supreme Education Council (SEC) has announced plans to recruit 1,500 more educators, specifically from Arab countries.

The teachers who are hired are expected to be fast-tracked through immigration to fill vacancies at existing schools and take up positions in some of the 22 new schools that are set to open across Qatar in September.

Applications have so far been received from teachers in Jordan, Gaza and the West Bank, Egypt, Tunisia, Sudan and Saudi Arabia, the SEC’s director of Shared Services, Omar al-Shahwany al Hajri, said in an interview with Arabic daily newspaper Al Raya.

The new recruits will specialize in math, science and a range of other disciplines. But with only 300 teachers interviewed so far, according to al-Hajri, the SEC could be challenged to meet its target by the start of the new school year in the fall.

Fast-tracked

The education official added that special arrangements have been set up with the Medical Commission and the Ministry of Interior to speed new recruits through the mandatory health tests, fingerprinting and other procedures required of new expats so that incoming teachers can obtain their residence permits quickly.

Upon arriving, the new recruits will attend orientation sessions run by the SEC a month ahead of the beginning of the school year. Training will include sessions on understanding Qatari culture, as well as techniques on communicating with fellow staff members and pupils, al-Hajri said.

ictQATAR/Flickr

Photo for illustrative purposes only.

This year’s expansion of teacher posts follows an attempt last year to bring in some 900 new educators to state schools, as the independent sector continues to struggle with issues such as a shortage of trained educators, poor discipline and some of the lowest test scores of their peers internationally.

Last year, the SEC said that Qatari teachers were also being sought. A shortage of nationals led the government ministry to consider those with less experience than their international peers.

A global index released by the OECD last week put Qatar near the bottom of 76 countries across the world based on the performance of 15-year-olds in math and science.

The SEC has attempted to address some of the issues levied at the local school system by introducing initiatives such as its teachers’ code of conduct, which was introduced last fall.

It outlines its expectations of teachers, covering topics such as communicating effectively with students, dressing modestly and working with parents.

This followed the establishment of a similar code for students, which aimed to tackle absenteeism through penalties such as barring persistent offenders from taking term and final exams.

More schools

The latest recruitment drive also comes as officials prepare nearly two dozen newly built schools to open in time for the 2015-16 academic year.

Håkan Dahlström / Flickr

For illustrative purposes only

Construction is finished on 22 schools as well as 10 kindergartens that will open in September. A further 19 schools and kindergartens are being built and expected to open in September 2016, al-Harji added.

He did not say how many of these would be privately-run, versus independent (government funded). However the majority of the 15 new schools and and kindergartens that opened in September 2014 were private.

The ongoing increase on the country’s population has put significant pressure on the education system, particularly among expats who cite difficulties finding school places for their children.

Earlier this year, the SEC announced that 14 of the new schools and kindergartens opening in September would follow the Indian curriculum, to cope with demand at the existing, over-subscribed schools.

Overall, Qatar’s public works authority Ashghal previously said it is overseeing education-related construction projects totaling approximately QR3 billion, while Qatar’s 2014-15 state budget included funding to construct 85 new schools in the coming years.

Detailing the design for the new schools, al-Hajri said that the standard model, for around 700 pupils, costs QR50 million and has space for 25 classrooms, a library, theater, three science laboratories, ICT suites, an indoor air-conditioned sports hall, a cafeteria, parking and a designated bus parking lot.

They will include features to accommodate special needs pupils, such as ramps and elevators.

Thoughts?

(The post Qatar’s education council looks abroad to hire 1,500 new teachers is from Doha News.)