The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has completed improving the road safety features surrounding 465 schools across the country, accounting for 88 percent of the total number of schools included in the School Zone Safety Programme. 

This is in addition to ongoing works to complete the implementation of safety plans for 38 schools, as part of Ashghal readiness for the new academic year 2020-21.

Ashghal continues to implement a comprehensive and continuous plan with international standards to ensure road safety features are in place on the roads surrounding schools, thus enhancing security and safety of students, parents and educational staff.

According to a study conducted by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Ashghal has coordinated with the Ministry of Interior and the National Road Safety Committee to identify school areas in need of development. 

The list of schools is assessed and revised on a monthly and annual basis, with the number of schools in need of development increasing each year. This year priority was given to approximately 533 schools spread across various areas in Qatar.

In addition to the completed and ongoing safety works, design plans are in progress for 25 schools and have been completed for five additional schools, with work expected to commence as soon as necessary approvals are obtained from concerned entities in the country.

All schools which were included in the school zone safety plan for 2020 are in different stages of implementation.

Engineer Hassen Al Hamadi, Head of Highways Operation & Maintenance Section, said that Ashghal gives the School Zone Safety Programme high priority, as it is one of the key elements to achieve the National Road Safety Strategy (NRSS) 2013-22. It aims to ease traffic congestions in these areas, separate vehicles from pedestrians and improve unpaved roads to achieve higher safety levels, ensuring safe entry and exit of students and parents from schools.

He said that the school zone safety programme works include the establishment and development of roads at the highest level of safety in the school zones by providing designated car parks, building medians and small roundabouts in order to manage traffic flow in those areas.

“As part of the programme, Roads Operation and Maintenance Department (ROMD) at Ashghal installs a number of directional signs and provides road markings near schools to alert drivers of the speed limit set at 30 km/h,” said Al Hamadi.

SOURCE: THEPENINSULAQATAR