News Dubai

Filipino schools in capital pulled up for violations
By Anjana Sankar

ABU DHABI Countdown has begun for the three Filipino schools in Abu Dhabi with the Ministry of Education issuing a final warning, ordering them to abide by regulations or face closure in the new academic year.

The Philippines National School, The Pioneer International Private School and Pisco Private School will be given approval to open for the academic year 2005-2006 only after a joint committee from the ministry and the Abu Dhabi Educational Zone conducts inspections two weeks before the commencement of the classes and ensure their compliance with the new set of instructions by the ministry.

The Foreign Private Schools Department at the ministry has ordered an academic and infrastructural revamp for all the three schools, that include reduction or cancellation of grades, re-evaluation of principals performance, renovation of classrooms and other such facilities.

The Filipino schools operating from villas, have been in the eye of a storm for sometime now with numerous complaints lodged against their managements, sighting administrative mismanagement and lack of proper facilities. The ministry had earlier issued several warnings with some of the schools receiving as many as 12 rounds of punishments for violating ministerial regulations in running the schools.

As per the new decision approved by Juma Ahmed Salami, Assistant Under-Secretary for Foreign Private Schools, to streamline the functioning of the schools, the number of classes at Philippines National School and Pioneer International Private School will be cut down to sixth grade. Students of higher classes will have to be absorbed by Pisco that could run classes from one to 10 grades. Meanwhile, the Kindergarten section of the Pisco school will be shut down to increase the capacity
of the school.

The owners and the principals of the schools will be notified and asked to rectify the violations by refurbishing or conducting the needed maintenance work. If they fail to comply with the suggestions they will be ordered to close down by the ministry. The academic and professional expertise of the principals of the schools will be re-evaluated and if they don't satisfy the set criteria, they will be replaced.

Regarding the maintenance of the schools, the ministry has asked them to completely refurbish the existing facilities to ensure proper lighting, air-conditioning and ventilation in the building. The ministry has also asked that special staff rooms and toilet facilities be allocated to the administrative and teaching staff and children should be provided a multi-purpose activities hall. Other directions include arranging for a well-equipped clinic, cafeteria with refrigerators, water coolers, appropriate laboratories and libraries in addition to separate store rooms for keeping junks and examination papers.

The schools have also been asked to remove partitions and make-shift rooms made of cardboard structures, and provide all necessary safety and security equipment in the school. The schools have been also been ordered to follow correct procedures and maintain proper records of the appointment and salary payment of their staff. The number of students must to regulated according to the size of the classrooms so that each student can occupy 1.5 square metre of space. As per the regulations, the school should strictly teach the three compulsory academic subjects to its students and no Arab student should be enrolled.

The school is also warned about conducting noisy dancing parties in its premises that will cause disturbance to the neighbours.