Hey Raha blog · Nanny and helper

How to brief your nanny or helper in Qatar: school run, remote days and WhatsApp groups

By Marie Adly · Last updated: 22 October 2026

A good nanny briefing in Qatar has two parts: a standing sheet that rarely changes (times, who can collect, kit days, allergies, emergency numbers, which school groups she is in) and a short weekly plan on WhatsApp for what changes. Add a remote day plan, because schools in Qatar have moved online at short notice in 2026. Keep portal passwords, fees and reports with you.

The short answer

• Sunday is the start of the school week (Sunday to Thursday), so send the weekly plan on Saturday evening.
• One standing sheet on the fridge and on her phone. Our Qatar nanny briefing template is ready to fill in.
• One remote day plan, sent the evening before.
• One place for changes: your private chat with her, not the class group.

The school run

Write the run day by day, per child: start and finish time, gate or pick-up point, how collection works (card, tag, app code) and who is collecting. If a driver or another parent is doing it, tell the school through its usual process. Shorter days during Ramadan and around national holidays change the times, so put the term breaks from our Qatar school calendar 2026-27 and Ramadan school timings in Qatar 2027 into her calendar early.

Add the practical bits that go wrong at 6.30am: water bottle, hat for outdoor PE, which bag is which, and what to do if the bus is late or she is stuck in Doha traffic (call you first, then the school reception).

School portals and apps: what she needs and what stays with you

The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOEHE) runs the Qatar Education System (account access and passwords at qeducation.edu.gov.qa) and the Maarif public services portal (eduservices.edu.gov.qa), where parents handle services such as registration, transfers and certificates. Private and international schools use their own parent app or learning platform for day-to-day messages and lesson links.

Your nanny does not need any of these logins. She needs the outputs: today's timetable, the link or where it appears, and any change. Portals also hold grades, attendance warnings and fees, which stay between you and the school.

Remote learning days

Qatar moved private schools and kindergartens to distance learning from 1 March 2026 as a precaution, with a full return on 29 March. When a remote day is announced, the school tells you which platform and timetable to use; your nanny follows your brief, not forwarded messages.

On a remote day her job is logistics, not teaching: device charged and signed in, child at the table ten minutes early, breaks with water and a snack, materials ready, and a photo of the screen to you if a link fails. Our remote learning with a nanny or helper (GCC guide) has a brief you can copy.

Class WhatsApp groups

Class and bus WhatsApp groups move fast, mix languages and carry plenty of noise. Decide which groups she is in and why:

• Bus or pick-up group: useful for her, for delays and changes.
• Class parents' group: usually better kept with you. Pass on what matters in your daily message.
• Rules for her: no need to reply to everything, no photos of other children shared in groups, and never use a lesson link from a group chat on a remote day. Links come from the school's platform or from you.

Fair hours

Qatar's Law No. 15 of 2017 on Domestic Workers sets a maximum of 10 working hours a day unless agreed otherwise, with breaks for worship, rest and meals not counted, and a paid weekly rest of at least 24 consecutive hours on a day agreed in the contract. Plan early drop-offs, late activities and weekend events so the week still adds up, and agree her rest day before term starts.

FAQ

What should I include in a nanny briefing in Qatar?
Drop-off and pick-up times by day, who may collect, uniform and kit by day, allergies and medicines, emergency numbers (check your country's official emergency number), which school WhatsApp groups she is in, and what to do on a remote learning day.

Should my nanny have the login for the school portal?
It is better not to. Sign your child in on their own device once, keep the password yourself, and have her message you if your child is logged out. Portals also hold reports and fees she does not need.

Should I add my nanny to the class WhatsApp group?
Only if it helps with logistics such as pick-up changes or bus delays, and tell her she does not need to reply. Many families keep the class group themselves and pass on what matters in one daily message.

What does my nanny do on a remote learning day in Qatar?
She gets the child to the right lesson on time with a charged device, materials and breaks, and messages you if a link fails. Teaching stays with the school and contact with teachers stays with you.

How many hours can a domestic worker work in Qatar?
Qatar's Law No. 15 of 2017 on Domestic Workers sets a maximum of 10 working hours a day unless agreed otherwise, with breaks for worship, rest and meals not counted, and a paid weekly rest of at least 24 consecutive hours on a day agreed in the contract.

Sources

• Ministry of Labour (Qatar), Law No. 15 of 2017 on Domestic Workers (PDF)
• MOEHE, Maarif public services portal
• MOEHE, Qatar Education System
• MOEHE, academic calendar 2025-28 (PDF)
• The Peninsula, schools and kindergartens in Qatar to switch to distance learning, 28 Feb 2026

Related: Qatar nanny briefing template · Qatar school calendar 2026-27 · Remote learning with a nanny or helper

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