Bahrain
Kuwait
Oman
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
UAE
Print
Email
Discuss this article (19 Comments)Rise in school enrolment 'disproves expat exodus'
by This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it on Monday, 01 June 2009
SCHOOLS BUSY: Indian and Pakistani schools report a rise in enrollment since April, where as removal firms say non-Asian other expats are leaving. (Getty Images)
A two percent rise in children from South Asian families being enrolled in Dubai schools is an indication that the emirate's expatriate population is stable and not falling, according to a senior government official.
Speaking at an event for Indian and Pakistani businesspeople on Monday Omar bin Sulaiman, governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), said that the figures on enrollment since April proved that talk about an expat exodus at the end of June was “empty”.
The Indian and Pakistani communities were the two largest foreign groups in Dubai, and could be used as a barometer for overall population and economic trends, Sulaiman added, according to a report in UAE daily Khaleej Times.
"Given that these communities represent a large portion of the Dubai expatriate population, this is another sign that, despite the empty talk of sceptics, there is a continuing flow of real data showing the stability of the expatriate population," he said.
"We are confident that similar results will be found in other expatriate schools with the start of their new academic year in the fall."
The schools data was gathered as part of a study on Indian and Pakistani schools by the Dubai Knowledge and Human Development Authority and presented to the Indian Business & Professional Council.
However, it comes a week after Arabian Business reported that removal firms in the Emirates were gearing up for a bumper summer as expatriates from the UK, South Africa and Australia were looking to move home once the school year finished at the end of June.
In another twist Hamad Buamim, director general of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, revealed on Saturday in a speech to the chamber that Dubai's population had seen "recent" growth of eight percent.
Neither Sulaiman, who is also deputy director of the UAE Central Bank, or Buamim gave any further details on their respective figures.
READERS' COMMENTS
Disclaimer: The views expressed here by our readers are not necessarily shared by ArabianBusiness.com or its employees.
School Feed
Posted by simran, dubai, UAE on Wednesday 3 June 2009 at 15:29 UAE time
I can openly state that the south asian schools will be rising in admisssions since some of us who had put our children in the international schools have realised the pathetic quality of education , low academic standards and no spirit of competition for children in these schools which has made us move them to the old thought of action wherein your own education was the best . When it worked for you why not your child and his future .
Please get the authorities to check the quality , the books and also the subject covered . As the end of the year approaches the portions are rushed through , chapters left and homework sent to be completed to show that the concepts are done where is the learning curve of a child going in these international schools .
Posted by simran, dubai, UAE on Wednesday 3 June 2009 at 15:29 UAE time
I can openly state that the south asian schools will be rising in admisssions since some of us who had put our children in the international schools have realised the pathetic quality of education , low academic standards and no spirit of competition for children in these schools which has made us move them to the old thought of action wherein your own education was the best . When it worked for you why not your child and his future .
Please get the authorities to check the quality , the books and also the subject covered . As the end of the year approaches the portions are rushed through , chapters left and homework sent to be completed to show that the concepts are done where is the learning curve of a child going in these international schools .
Hike in Fees - Unfair
Posted by Nacheez, Dubai, UAE on Wednesday 3 June 2009 at 12:39 UAE time
I have received a notice from my child's school that since their school has been graded 'Good' they are entitled to increase the fees by 12%. What a way to wash away all the 'good' work!
So basically what the school management is saying is that 'Business is Business, thats why private equity firms own part of GEMs school now', 'What social responsibility?' and 'As long as we have a waiting list, we can afford to be unreasonable'. What a pity!. The get-rich-quick philosophy wreaked havoc with the US economy and now the same private equity firm thinking is slowly destroying the education system in Dubai.
Posted by Nacheez, Dubai, UAE on Wednesday 3 June 2009 at 12:39 UAE time
I have received a notice from my child's school that since their school has been graded 'Good' they are entitled to increase the fees by 12%. What a way to wash away all the 'good' work!
So basically what the school management is saying is that 'Business is Business, thats why private equity firms own part of GEMs school now', 'What social responsibility?' and 'As long as we have a waiting list, we can afford to be unreasonable'. What a pity!. The get-rich-quick philosophy wreaked havoc with the US economy and now the same private equity firm thinking is slowly destroying the education system in Dubai.
hike in school fees due to KHDA inspection
Posted by mushtaque rangwala, dubai, uae on Wednesday 3 June 2009 at 09:12 UAE time
i agree with BNK,recently i got cicular from dubai scholars that they are increaing 9% fees for next which is not right at this stituation where the people are losing jobs every now and then,schools should cancel this fees with immediate effect,come on guy when our time was good we paid fee hike every alternate year and also in form of school bus fees increased from 900 dhms to 2500 dhms last year, now its your time to manage,i donot understand how the schools expenses increases every year wher the staff is same education system and quality is same and facilities are same so only making excuses of rent increase they charge 2000dhms from each stidents as fee hike which multipiled by 1000 students which goes in to poc ket of management who are minting money and KHDA is sitting and watching
Posted by mushtaque rangwala, dubai, uae on Wednesday 3 June 2009 at 09:12 UAE time
i agree with BNK,recently i got cicular from dubai scholars that they are increaing 9% fees for next which is not right at this stituation where the people are losing jobs every now and then,schools should cancel this fees with immediate effect,come on guy when our time was good we paid fee hike every alternate year and also in form of school bus fees increased from 900 dhms to 2500 dhms last year, now its your time to manage,i donot understand how the schools expenses increases every year wher the staff is same education system and quality is same and facilities are same so only making excuses of rent increase they charge 2000dhms from each stidents as fee hike which multipiled by 1000 students which goes in to poc ket of management who are minting money and KHDA is sitting and watching
school fees
Posted by Joh on Wednesday 3 June 2009 at 09:05 UAE time
Can anyone tell us which in which country do we hear schools increasing fees every year? Infact when i was in school back in the home country, school fees did not increase the whole 10 years, the slabs remained unchanged. I fail to understand the fee increase in schools that existed in a particular place for the last so many years. Now on the basis of inspection and school gradation, they will increase fees. This is rediculous. The government must plan to introduce government aided schools so that the new generation kids can learn without frills and come out to serve this country better. This monopoly of private schools must end. Please note, we have a majority in this population who cannot afford arbitrary fee increase which have no logic to support the action. Unfortunately for parents, they will have to sacrifice to retain the kid with the family here and bear the increasing expense. But one day kids will have to leave. The schools will feel no difference because for every kid that leaves, there will be a new who enters which will help to maintain the heavy profits for the schools. I also recommend that government can ask RTA to introduce school buses and that will be cheaper while RTA will ensure continuous income from a new segment of market whilst the monopoly of school owned buses will stop.
Posted by Joh on Wednesday 3 June 2009 at 09:05 UAE time
Can anyone tell us which in which country do we hear schools increasing fees every year? Infact when i was in school back in the home country, school fees did not increase the whole 10 years, the slabs remained unchanged. I fail to understand the fee increase in schools that existed in a particular place for the last so many years. Now on the basis of inspection and school gradation, they will increase fees. This is rediculous. The government must plan to introduce government aided schools so that the new generation kids can learn without frills and come out to serve this country better. This monopoly of private schools must end. Please note, we have a majority in this population who cannot afford arbitrary fee increase which have no logic to support the action. Unfortunately for parents, they will have to sacrifice to retain the kid with the family here and bear the increasing expense. But one day kids will have to leave. The schools will feel no difference because for every kid that leaves, there will be a new who enters which will help to maintain the heavy profits for the schools. I also recommend that government can ask RTA to introduce school buses and that will be cheaper while RTA will ensure continuous income from a new segment of market whilst the monopoly of school owned buses will stop.
Click here to post a comment
MORE FROM ARABIANBUSINESS.COM
TOP IN MIDDLE EAST EDUCATION
TOP MIDDLE EAST BUSINESS STORIES
ALSO IN MIDDLE EAST EDUCATION
LATEST MIDDLE EAST BUSINESS NEWS
- Banking & Finance: Islamic banks should target female market - report
- Travel & Hospitality: flydubai set to launch new flights to Nepal
- Real Estate: Dubai's Oct property sales value rises by 50% - official
- Politics & Economics: UAE considers allowing citizens to elect 50% of FNC
- Travel & Hospitality: Emirates brings forward Paris A380 plans
SHARE PRICE CHECK
RELATED STORIES
Market Turmoil Focus
3 stories- UAE sees fourth consecutive month of deflation
24 Nov '09 | News - UK builders still chasing $330m from UAE - report
24 Nov '09 | News - UAE grocery sales growth slumps in 2009
24 Nov '09 | News
Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates
| 236 stories- UAE withdrew from monetary union for 'fundamental reasons'
23 Nov '09 | News - UAE real estate will take 'some time to stabilise' - cbank
23 Nov '09 | News - UAE banks set aside AED4bn for bad loans in Q3
17 Nov '09 | News
Dubai International Financial Centre
| 263 stories- Plain sailing
30 Oct '09 | Interviews - Former DIFC chief says Dubai needs more support
29 Oct '09 | News - DIFC told funds industry fees are too high
19 Oct '09 | News
Knowledge and Human Development Authority
| 25 stories- 35% say Arabic, Islamic studies key for UAE schools
3 Nov '09 | News - Private schools lose top ranking over lack of Arabic classes
27 Oct '09 | News - 19 failing Dubai schools left out of inspections
30 Sep '09 | News
RELATED LINKS
- Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates»
- Dubai International Financial Centre»
- Knowledge and Human Development Authority»
Mobile
