New academic year at gov't schools set for after Ramadan

ACADEMIC YEAR: Government confirms new academic year to commence after Ramadan. (Getty Images)

Classes in government schools for the academic year 2009-2010 have been postponed until after the holy month of Ramadan it was confirmed on Wednesday.

Ahead of the announcement His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, had posted a question up on his Facebook page, seeking public input on whether the school year should begin after Eid. The majority of parents and pupils preferred the term start after Eid.

According to Khaleej Times the Ministry has said that teaching staff will have to report back on September 13 and the students will resume school on September 23. 

In his post, Shaikh Mohammad thanked the respondents and indicated his appreciation of opinions from a ''wide diversity of people in our society.''

Meanwhile, one parent, who is also a school principal, told Gulf News that Ramadan is the month of fasting, and represents a significant part of UAE national culture. Having a holiday during this month would help parents, principals and pupils to concentrate on the values of this month, she said.

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READERS' COMMENTS

@Macca
Posted by PeterHiggins, Dubai, UAE on Sunday 5 July 2009 at 11:46 UAE time


While the fanatics may wish it was so, the US is not and has never been a christian country. It is a secular country, basing most of its holidays on secular traditions, such as harvest timings etc. Long may it stay so. I suggest if you don't like it, then there are plenty of other religious states you can go out and join. Let's leave the West Secular. Period.

@Omar
Posted by AJ on Saturday 4 July 2009 at 17:49 UAE time


Dude, you need to learn how to live within perspective. First you bring religions into comparison, without the need for it. Then, when politely corrected by others, you bring political comparisons into the discussion. When you then feel cornered you, almost apologetically (as I read your last comment), once again change track and make the issue to be about speech morality. 'How people react' is not the freaking question here dude.

This decision is nothing but the result of sheer lack of planning, as quite aptly pointed out by some other sane commentors here. And nobody will leave the country, just cause you dont like them bickering about their issues. We all shall continue to live here and create cacophony on all decisions we dont like or agree with. Yes, we are not citizens & we dont pay taxes. But we HAVE come to the country now, spent years & years of hardwork and 'planning' into it, not to be told simply that if you dont like it....leave. Doesnt work that way dude. Just doesnt.

Mr. Mart
Posted by Omar, Dubai on Friday 3 July 2009 at 20:44 UAE time


i, by all means, welcome and understand any constructive criticism but i do not accept mocking randomly. The tone being used by some is not polite / professional. They just mock randomly thinking that they are superior. An employee would come to you and tell you good morning sir, i believe this idea may be considered, etc....Not, you are crazy with this decision, you will take the company to hell..............
I have undergone several media trainings and know what the difference is!
Being an Arab American, i know very well what we lack in this region and my comments on Arabian Business clearly show that esp. when it comes to freedom of speech. Yes, UAE and the entire region should improve that aspect but without creating a complete anarchy. In my native country, Lebanon, we have 2000 media outlets for 3 million people!(The highest in the world) but this does not help at all in creating a sound country!In the contrary, it's the main ingredient of problems.
I believe UAE is taking solid steps in developing its PR: They hired the world's best Public Affairs agency www.finsbury.com to advise them + some local PR agencies. This is why you see a different tone in PR i.e. The Q&A of Sheikh Mohammed, the facebook initiative, and other excellent ideas.
I believe we should all be respectful unlike some comments. Regarding the US, would it be polite and nice for a Californian to mock New York in New York?? No!!!We can say that the NY airport should be developed, the city should be cleaner, etc... but you can not say New York is very bad and is going to hell!!!
Can a Muslim teacher in NY say that M. Bloomberg is crazy for not confirming the resolution to give 1 day off on Eid day. No, they will just accept the decision and try again and again. As president Obama said in Cairo, it's not violence that brought an African American to presidency but hard work and strive for change.
Many businessmen from different countries meet Sheikh Mohammed and give their comments and he listens. The reason why Dubai and UAE is successful and different from the entire Arab world is that they listen carefully. This is why you see top consultants around either in DIFC or RTA or Jebel Ali or....
Do you think those consultants come for nothing. They come here bcz they are highly appreciated here unlike the rest of the Arab world.
Of course, some might think that this decision might delay the program for students and this is understandable but to say: What a crazy decision, etc... This is not acceptable, polite, constructive.....
I realize that media in UK mock randomly. Perhaps, this is acceptable in UK but not necessarily good & constructive. It's not compatible with the UAE nor the US nor Germany!

Omar - you are missing the point again
Posted by Mart on Friday 3 July 2009 at 17:37 UAE time


If we didn't care about the country we'd leave. People make critical comments because they care - because they want bad things to improve.

I lived in the USA for a while (I'm a Brit). I found some things there that I preferred to the UK, other things I was critical of. No one in the US took offence when I pointed out that some of their practises were crazy - people either pointed out the reason for them, or took the comments on board.

The UK, USA and the West in general have been successful over the years because they tolerate dissent. Because people can query the government - point out where its doing things wrong, and if things are bad enough they can vote in a new government.

Likewise in the company that I run staff are free to say to me "why are we doing things like this, this is crazy - why don't we do it like this instead". I'll either explain to them why their idea won't work, else I'll consider it an excellent idea and make the change. It helps my company be much more successful than if no one is able to question how things are done. Anyone in the company is free to criticise how we do things and suggest alternatives. I don't take any offence when they do this - quite the opposite - it shows that they care about making our company more successful. I welcome it.

The UAE and other Arab states need to learn from this. When people criticise the way something is being done, they aren't being personal or trying to undermine their leaders - its just that back home this is what we do, and then if others agree with it things get changed and it becomes a better place to live. Those who run the UAE and other states in the region need to be more able to take criticism, and learn from it - rather than trying to silence those who give it as somehow being "unpatriotic" or "determined to undermine Dubai". Nothing could be further from the truth.

I see optimistic signs in how Dubai is run - proposed Metro prices that are very sensible, and the major malls addressing (in advance) likely issues with commuters using their car parks as a park and ride in very sensible ways. This is a good thing - we all can learn from criticism - so don't fear it.

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