Safeguarding in international schools in Qatar: a DSL guide

The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOEHE) licenses private schools in Qatar. It does this under Law No. 23 of 2015 on the Regulation of Private Schools. The law defines a private school as a non-governmental school, from kindergarten to the end of secondary.

In October 2025 the Ministry announced multi-year licences for private schools, to be phased in. A basic licence lasts three years. An advanced licence lasts five years and needs a recognised national or international school accreditation, among other quality conditions.

The Ministry also inspects schools and sets conditions for staff. Under Article 15, anyone working in a private school must be of good conduct and medically fit. They must have no final conviction for a crime of dishonesty or moral turpitude.

Accreditation sits on top of the licence and does not replace it. The Ministry says the five-year advanced licence needs an accreditation, but the licence itself still comes from the Ministry.

This guide found no single child protection statute in force in Qatar. A draft children's rights law was approved by the Cabinet on 14 October 2026. The Ministry of Social Development and Family prepared it.

The Cabinet said the draft will go online for ten days on the Al Meezan legal portal and the Sharek platform for public feedback. Then it goes to legislative review. A separate draft law on digital child protection was approved the same day.

In May 2025 Qatar told the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child that its draft children's law defines everyone under 18 as a child.

Until a new law passes, school duties come from older laws. These include the private schools law, the Code of Criminal Procedure (Law No. 23 of 2004) and the Civil Code (Law No. 22 of 2004). The Civil Code sets the age of majority at eighteen full years.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. The texts were read on Al Meezan, Qatar's official legal portal, on 19 October 2026. Some articles appeared in Arabic, so ask local counsel to confirm the wording and check the current law with the relevant authority.

No law found for this guide names teachers or schools as mandatory reporters. The Code of Criminal Procedure sets two general duties. Mandatory reporting laws for international schools compares other countries.

Article 32 says anyone who learns of a crime that can be prosecuted without a victim complaint has a duty to report it. The report goes to the Public Prosecution or a judicial police officer. Article 33 adds that public officials must report such a crime at once.

Article 33 covers public employees and people the Penal Code treats as such. Whether a private school employee falls inside that group is a question for local counsel. Article 32 applies to everyone either way.

One workable rule is simple. Every concern goes to the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) the same day. The DSL, the Head and counsel then decide on a report to the authorities, and the school records who decided and when.

If a child is in immediate danger, call 999, then tell your DSL. The Ministry of Interior runs 999 around the clock for police, fire and medical calls. It says its translators cover languages such as English, French, Chinese, Filipino and Urdu.

For advice and support, the Aman hotline is 919. Hukoomi, the government portal, says it runs around the clock for women and children. Child Helpline International lists it as free, with phone, web chat and the Help Me app, in Arabic and English.

Aman is the Protection and Social Rehabilitation Center, set up by the Qatar Foundation for Social Protection and Rehabilitation. It offers safe accommodation, health care, legal counselling and social rehabilitation. Calling 919 for advice does not replace your school procedure or a report to the authorities.

Put 999 and 919 on one page of your reporting route, in the languages your staff read. Add the DSL's name and phone number. Check the numbers again each term.

Accreditation standards built on the International Task Force on Child Protection (ITFCP) expect staff to pass on any concern early. Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE) does the same for schools in England. It has no legal force in Qatar.

The reporting duties in Articles 32 and 33 start when someone learns of a crime. Staff cannot judge that alone. Ask them to report what they saw or heard, and let the DSL and counsel decide how the law applies.

Allegations against staff need extra care. Article 31 of the private schools law gives the Ministry power to investigate the licence holder or any staff member over complaints and violations it judges serious. It says the school may not take investigation steps itself.

Write that into your allegations procedure. Ask counsel what the school may do to protect children while the Ministry investigates.

Teaching materials need a check too. Article 19 says textbooks and learning sources must fit the religious values and customs of society, and the Ministry can stop or change materials that do not. Review your body safety and relationships lessons against this rule with your Head.

Qatar's data protection law is Law No. 13 of 2016 on the protection of personal data privacy. Article 4 says an organisation may process personal data only with the person's consent. The exception is processing needed for a legitimate purpose of the organisation or of the party receiving the data.

Article 16 lists children's data, health data and data on criminal offences as personal data of a special nature. It says such processing needs a permit from the competent department. A safeguarding file can hold all three, so ask counsel whether your school needs a permit.

Article 15 stops an organisation from restricting the flow of personal data across borders. The exceptions are processing that breaks the law or would cause serious harm to privacy. The law as read here has no data localisation rule, but sector rules may apply to your school or supplier.

Other duties matter day to day. Article 10 says do not keep data longer than needed. Article 6 gives people a right to see their data.

Articles 13 and 14 require security precautions and notice after a breach that could cause serious harm. Agree with counsel how these duties fit confidential safeguarding files. The Peninsula reported in September 2026 that the National Cyber Security Agency takes compliance questions through its Personal Data Privacy Protection Department.

Write the reporting route in the languages your staff read. Drivers, security officers, cleaners and nurses often see a child before a teacher does, so train non-teaching staff on the same route. The DSL should check that each group can follow it.

Sources differ on corporal punishment. Qatar told the UN committee in May 2025 that corporal punishment in schools was banned in the 1990s. The Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children reports no explicit statutory ban as of April 2024.

Your policy should ban it for every adult, including contractors. Say who a child can tell if it happens.

On hiring, Article 15 sets a good conduct test for school staff. The Ministry of Interior issues a certificate of good conduct, and the Ministry of Education asks owners and partners for one when they apply for a licence. Ask counsel what proof the Ministry expects for staff.

A Qatari certificate covers Qatar only. Ask for checks from every country a candidate has lived in, as set out in safer recruitment for international schools.

Start with these steps in your first month. Share the list with your Head and your deputy DSL.

Laws change, and the draft children's rights law may change school duties. Confirm anything here with local counsel and the relevant authority before you rely on it.

• Find your school licence and ask the Head which accreditations the school holds.
• Ask local counsel whether your staff count as public officials under Article 33.
• Write one reporting route that names the DSL, the deputy, 999 and 919.
• Ask counsel how Article 31 changes your process for complaints against staff.
• Ask counsel whether your safeguarding records need a permit under Article 16.
• Ban corporal punishment in writing for staff and contractors.
• Check the draft children's rights law each term until it passes.