By Irfan Bukhari
DOHA: After a long-lull induced by summer vacations, life will touch its full bloom from tomorrow in Qatar as the suspended activities will return back to normalcy with the opening of schools.
“Summer and Eid vacations have ended. Everything is going to follow a normal routine of the past and kids are all set to attend classes from tomorrow,” said Talha Mehmood, a Pakistani expat.
He says his family had spent around two months in Pakistan. “I also availed my yearly vacations in August and enjoyed a homeland trip. Now the holidays are over for both me and kids,” he said. Some schools had resumed classes from the beginning of this month yet most of the educational institutions decided to restart activities after Eid.
With the forthcoming opening of schools, the sale of stationery has also touched its seasonal peak and parents are seen in various supermarkets purchasing new school bags etc.
“Some parents had bought the supplies before Eid as their children’s schools had been opened in the first week of September, but most of the people are now purchasing the school items,” said Anam, a salesman at a hypermarket located at Airport Road. Market sources claim that the sale of school items will touch its maximum limit today.
“Some families have just returned or are returning today after celebrating Eid in their countries and therefore we are expecting the real rush on Saturday and Sunday,” another salesman observed.
The staff and administrators of various schools have also made necessary arrangements to welcome students after a long recess. “All arrangements have been made and our teachers too, who were on their vacations, have joined us … the life will be in full swing from tomorrow,” said an official of a private school.
Not only schools. Life is returning to hustle and bustle after long vacations, from public transport to private vehicles and from offices to shopping malls. Cab drivers are expecting more commuters from next week. “Many residents who do not own cars hire our services … due to summer vacations we experienced a relatively dull market … now we hope things will go to normalcy,” said Khizar Khan, a cab driver.
“Many Qatari nationals were spending holidays in various European destinations with their children. They have also returned recently to celebrate Eid in their homeland … the return of nationals as well as expatriates after spending summer vacations in various parts of the world will bring colourful action to relatively calm and insipid life of Doha caused by vacations,” said the owner of a supermarket.
A number of expatriates working in various offices have also returned along with families after the vacation. “I availed of my yearly vacations when the schools closed. Now we all have returned to a routine life. I am set to join my office from tomorrow and my children will attend their classes the same day,” said Shabbir, who had recently returned after enjoying holidays in Dhaka.
Talking to The Peninsula, Nargis Raza Otho, Principal of Pakistan Education Centre, said that everything was ready for the resumption of classes. “Our teachers and other staffers have already joined the school. They are attending the school since Thursday (September 15) and the students’ first-day will be Sunday (tomorrow) and life will be back to normal activity,” she added.
The Peninsula
