Manama: Schools in Qatar have been warned against expelling students from classes as a form of punishment.
A circular by the Supreme Education Council (SEC) to independent schools said that such action puts the students' safety at risk.
Schools have also been told that suspending students from classes for more than three days at a time is a serious breach of the rules.
Penalising children by sending them home from class is also considered a serious offence, the circular said. No student should be denied entry to the school or sent home without their parents' knowledge.
The SEC said several schools had broken the rules last year by committing such offences, Qatari daily The Peninsula reported.
Other violations included changing the classes of students without written approval from the Independent Schools' Office and dismissing students before reading the dismissal rules.
The circular further stated that students should be encouraged to abide by the school rules, respect their teachers and be good citizens. This is in line with the Qatar Vision 2030.
In another circular, the SEC asked all independent schools to respect the national flag and the correct protocol with regard to it.
The flag should be treated with respect and should be hoisted in a position of honour and never allowed to touch the ground. All schools staff should know how to salute it, the circular said.
