NEW DELHI: Indian schools in Qatar will have a working Diwali on Sunday. Traditionally Diwali has been a holiday for Indian schools but the new notification that was issued by Qatar's education department for the ongoing academic year decided to drop it.
“There are 19 Indian schools in Qatar and at the beginning of the new academic year, they dropped Diwali from the list of holidays. Principals of Indian schools wrote to their staff (which includes people from mostly Indian but other nationalities too) to refrain from applying for leave for November 12th – which happens to be Diwali,” said a source.
The note issued to teachers, internally by the school principals, has also urged them to abide by the rule out of politeness to the host country despite the fact that it is the most celebrated Indian festival.
However, India’s Republic Day and Independence Day were holidays for Indian schools this year and have been listed as holidays for Indian schools for the current academic session.
“There is no restriction for other international schools. Like British schools get their term breaks every two months for a week – like it is across the United Kingdom,” a source said.
According to data released in 2022, there were 46,000 Indian students studying in Qatar. There are 19 Indian schools in Qatar. They are Al Khor International School, Birla Public School, DPS-MIS School, Galelio International School, Ideal Indian School, MES Indian School, Olive International School, Rajagiri Public School, The Scholars International School, MES Indian School Abu Hamoir School, Bhavan Public School, Doha Intetnational School, DPS Monarch International School, Greenwood International School, Loyala International School, Noble International School, Pearl School, Shantiniketan Indian School and Brilliant School.
There are over 700,000 Indians who live and work in Qatar.
ALSO READ | Taking care of the Qatar eight