Private International Schools to Reopen as per Their SchedulesPublish Date: 2009-07-04 10:00:04 Story Code: 17372 DUBAI — Private international schools in the country will reopen for the new academic year according to their respective schedules. The school principals have conveyed this to the students’ parents, putting at rest a flurry of speculations.
Over the past couple of days, the managements had been receiving calls from parents, who wanted to know whether the schools would reopen after Eid holidays. “We will stick to our calendar and reopen on August 31,” said Dr Farooq Wasil, director of Asian Schools, GEMS. “We communicated with the authorities concerned on Thursday and they told us that the decision does not apply to our schools.”
Read More: Students, Principals Hail Late School Year Government Schools to
Re-open after Ramadan The Dubai English Speaking College also sent e-mails to the parents to the effect. “Please be advised government schools and private schools which follow the ministry curriculum will be closed during Ramadan. No decision has been reached about private schools which follow the British curriculum. Therefore, Dubai English Speaking College will return to school as planned on Sunday, September 6. If there are any changes, we will inform you accordingly,” the e-mail read. Education Minister Humaid Mohammed Obaid Al Qutami told Khaleej Times on Thursday that the decision applied to schools affiliated to the national curriculum only. “This decision applies to government schools and those following the national curriculum,” he said. However, the private schools have been given the option to reopen after Eid. The Sharjah Private Education Deputy Director, Khaled Al Mulla, reiterated that the option to begin the school year after Eid lies with the respective schools following international curricula. Nikhat Rehman, principal of The Oxford School in Dubai, said no circular from the ministry on the postponement of the school year had been received. “For now we are beginning on 31 August. I will not prefer a delay in the school year since the entire system will get disrupted. We will have to conduct classes over the weekend for which half of the students do not necessarily turn up,” she said. Parents of the students from Elite English Speaking School in Dubai, most of whom have left for a vacation, have been enquiring with the principal to plan accordingly. “The parents are so confused. I have told them if there is any change I will communicate it to them through SMS and e-mails,” said Prinicipal Vatsala Mathews. Dubai International Academy, too, sent out e-mails informing the parents about the reopening on September 1. Education provider Taaleem stated on Thursday that the talks with the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) and the ministry clarified that the new order applied only to schools affiliated to the national curriculum. “We have informed all the parents that the beginning of the academic year will stay as per our school’s published and approved calendars,” Communications and Marketing Director Clive Pierrepont said. © Khaleej Times 2009. All rights reserved. Share this story:  Digg
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