News Dubai

Ministry studies proposal to change school timing
By Wafa Issa, Staff Reporter

Dubai: The ministry of education is studying a proposal to start the school day at public schools one hour later during winter time.

Dr Fawzia Badri, Deputy Executive Director for Educational Affairs, at the ministry told Gulf News that they are studying a proposal to change the timing for public schools during winter.

"In order to avoid having children going to school while it is still dark, a proposal to start the school day an hour later is on the table" said Badri.

GMC to provide training in therapy
By a staff reporter

AJMAN — Gulf Medical College, Ajman’s Physiotherapy College will provide McKenzie Institute International, New Zealand’s Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) Training Programmes in the UAE starting next year.

The course will be offered in GMC Ajman and will be conducted by the international panel of faculty from McKenzie Institute, New Zealand.

Nine villa schools in Sharjah face closure
By Mohsen Rashid

SHARJAH — Nine of the 24 schools operating out of villas in Sharjah have been ordered to be closed following a ministerial decision.

The Minister of Education, Dr Hanif Hassan yesterday issued a decision to this effect. The nine schools were found unfit for the teaching process to continue.

Some 3,000 students were enrolled in these nine schools. The decision will come into effect by the end of the current academic year.

‘Unreasonable’ fee hike at Al Taawan school under fire
By Ahmed Abdul Aziz
27 August 2006

ABU DHBAI — Several parents have complained that a private school in the capital has effected ‘unreasonable’ hike in tuition fees for the academic year, 2006-2007.

They have approached the Minstry of Education (MoE) alleging that the Al Taawan Private School (Sherwood Academy) has raised the tuition fees by at least 43 per cent.

Proposed fee increase defended
By Faisal Masudi and Wafa Issa, Staff Reporters

Dubai: An education provider at the centre of a controversy over the fee hike has warned that individual schools here may eventually close if they are banned from increasing fees to offset rising costs.

Hugh MacPherson, GEMS Chief Operating Officer, defended the proposed hike, saying higher fees will help pay attractive salaries for foreign teachers who contribute to the "highest standards" of UAE education.

13 DUBAI SCHOOLS FACE CLOSURE
BY MOHSEN RASHED

29 January 2006

The number of private schools housed in villas touched 65 all over the educational zones, except those schools affiliated to the Abu Dhabi Educational Zone. These schools are housed and operating in villas.

Parents withdraw children from school over textbook controversy
By Nina Muslim, Staff Reporter

Some Filipino Muslim parents have withdrawn their children from a private Filipino school in protest against its alleged sale and use of a textbook which contains incorrect information on Islam.

Vanjo Andig and Adnan Magangcong withdrew their six-year-old children last week from the United International Private School when they discovered the textbooks they bought at the school were the 2004 version of People, Places and Events in the Philippines by Caroline P. Danao.

Schools get 15 days to correct curricula violations
By a staff reporter
29 August 2005

DUBAI — The Ministry of Education has warned three schools — two under the Sharjah Educational Zone and one under the Dubai Educational Zone — of serious action unless they rectified, within 15 days, curricula violations they had indulged in. The three schools are Far Eastern Private School, Modern Pioneers Private School in Sharjah, and the United International School in 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.

Students happy to be back at school
By Sunita Menon, Haya Farouk Al Ras and Nasouh Nazzal

The excitement of being Back to School after a long vacation was evident among pupils who began their academic year yesterday.

With glowing faces, heavy school bags on their shoulders, sporting new school uniforms, the pupils filled their classrooms and playgrounds with fun and laughter, exchanging stories about their holidays.