Government school staff allowed to leave two hours early during exams
<p>Doha, Qatar: Employees of government schools will be allowed to leave work two hours before the end of the official working day during the midterm examination periods of the 2026–2027 academic year, under new arrangements announced by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.</p> <p>The measure is part of arrangements introduced by the ministry’s Educational Affairs Sector to organise…
Doha, Qatar - Government school employees in Qatar will now have the option to leave work two hours early during the midterm examination periods of the 2026-2027 academic year, according to new guidelines issued by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. This measure aims to provide a comfortable environment for students taking exams while allowing teachers and staff more flexibility in managing their professional and personal responsibilities.
The Educational Affairs Sector of the ministry introduced the new arrangements, outlining that the school day will consist of four periods during the exam periods, with two periods dedicated to student testing. Regular lessons will continue during the remaining two periods and any other non-exam periods.
Students are expected to depart immediately after the final period concludes, while schools must adhere to the established times for student arrivals and scheduled breaks. Teachers and school employees are permitted to leave their workplaces two hours before their official workday ends, as long as this departure does not interfere with human resources regulations or coincide with designated breastfeeding or reduced-hour allowances for eligible female employees.
The ministry also clarified that the early departure cannot be combined with the permitted break period. Examination marking and grade recording will follow a predetermined schedule for opening and closing the relevant electronic systems, ensuring orderly assessment procedures and timely completion of grades.
The new guidelines are set to apply throughout the midterm examination periods of both semesters of the 2026-2027 academic year, aiming to balance the needs of the testing process with the workload of school employees. The ministry emphasized the importance of all school administrations adhering to the circular's provisions while maintaining compliance with human resources regulations.
These measures are expected to support the stability of the educational process and the successful execution of exams, reflecting the sector's dedication to maintaining high standards of professional and educational practice.
Written by urgent.news from The Peninsula Qatar's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
