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Discuss this article (14 Comments)Enrolment figures up despite UAE exodus fear - GEMS
by This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it on Thursday, 02 July 2009
ENROLMENT FIGURES: GEMS Education says its numbers for the next school year are up, despite fears of an expat exodus. (Getty Images)
Enrolment figures next term at GEMS international schools are up 12 percent on last year, bucking the trend despite fears of an expatriate exodus from the UAE.
Waiting lists are also up five percent at GEMS’ Asian schools, but the education provider said the true scale of expatriate pupil departures will be known at the end of the summer.
A GEMS spokesman said: “We only really know what is happening in terms of enrolments at the beginning of next year. At the moment we just don’t know.”
“There’s been an [population] exodus going on for the last six months because of the global financial crisis. Clearly a percentage of the population has waited before the end of the school year before flying off. But right now our numbers are looking ok,” the spokesman added.
Massive lay-offs in mainly construction and real estate has led to speculation that thousands of jobless parents will pull their children out of school and return home.
International schools in the UAE broke up last week. But it is understood that parents wanting to put their children down on GEMS waiting lists for next term only have to pay a AED500 deposit - a small fee for expatriates who could be still be undecided about leaving the Gulf.
GEMS runs 26 schools in the UAE, 17 of which are in Dubai. It is the largest private education provider the world.
In May GEMS said it was monitoring enrolment figures for next term on a ‘week by week’ basis.
Arabian Business revealed that removal companies are overwhelmed with bookings in June. ISS Worldwide Movers said it was handling six moves a day, compared to two per week this time last year.
READERS' COMMENTS
Disclaimer: The views expressed here by our readers are not necessarily shared by ArabianBusiness.com or its employees.
desperate
Posted by gamby on Tuesday 21 July 2009 at 22:29 UAE time
funny, desperate and illogical GEMS comment. with more families going home, how can there be more enrollees??? and to Omar the paid blogger and cut & paste artist (pasting the same blog on different issues) over and over. just shut up with your comments and baseless facts. stop blog flooding with your wishful thinking.
Posted by gamby on Tuesday 21 July 2009 at 22:29 UAE time
funny, desperate and illogical GEMS comment. with more families going home, how can there be more enrollees??? and to Omar the paid blogger and cut & paste artist (pasting the same blog on different issues) over and over. just shut up with your comments and baseless facts. stop blog flooding with your wishful thinking.
GEMS
Posted by Amuse_d, Agartala, India on Friday 3 July 2009 at 12:48 UAE time
While the Gems tumble form the mouth of those who believe they are right, Omar, you must realise that the people who are directing barbs at them are probably the ones who love dubai most- as everyone knows the unncessary and unrealistic statements hurt the very industry/state/country that they talk about in such ridiculous terms.
Posted by Amuse_d, Agartala, India on Friday 3 July 2009 at 12:48 UAE time
While the Gems tumble form the mouth of those who believe they are right, Omar, you must realise that the people who are directing barbs at them are probably the ones who love dubai most- as everyone knows the unncessary and unrealistic statements hurt the very industry/state/country that they talk about in such ridiculous terms.
Why do not you leave us alone?!
Posted by Omar, Dubai on Friday 3 July 2009 at 12:35 UAE time
Mr. Bewildered, UAE is not second to none and your country is the best. Why do not you leave us alone here. Just leave! Whoever thinks he is greater than UAE, just leave to wherever you think you are suitable for. go to your better land. UAE does not need you. Foreigners go, foreigners come, but UAE remains as it's. It does not wait for your planning. they can surely plan their life without you and your thoughts.
Posted by Omar, Dubai on Friday 3 July 2009 at 12:35 UAE time
Mr. Bewildered, UAE is not second to none and your country is the best. Why do not you leave us alone here. Just leave! Whoever thinks he is greater than UAE, just leave to wherever you think you are suitable for. go to your better land. UAE does not need you. Foreigners go, foreigners come, but UAE remains as it's. It does not wait for your planning. they can surely plan their life without you and your thoughts.
GEMS Enrolment
Posted by BD, Dubai on Friday 3 July 2009 at 07:15 UAE time
Although common sense would dictate that GEMS is not experiencing an enrollment increase, who knows maybe its possible - who cares anyway, that jiberish should only be background noise to anyone sensible. However to deny that Dubai is experiencing a very significant exodus of the expat population driven by the severe decline in the local economy, particularly real estate and construction is to be totally ignorant of the obvious reality. One only has to look around to see that roads are much emptier, rents are finally falling, real estate prices are still falling, vehicles are available at bargain prices, almost all companies in the real estate & construction sector are down 50-75% from peak staffing levels (if they still remain solvent), I could go on and on. Why not aknowlege and accept the obvious and start to focus on how we can stabilize and then rebuild a sustainable Dubai ecomony for the long term, rather than another bubble economy.
Posted by BD, Dubai on Friday 3 July 2009 at 07:15 UAE time
Although common sense would dictate that GEMS is not experiencing an enrollment increase, who knows maybe its possible - who cares anyway, that jiberish should only be background noise to anyone sensible. However to deny that Dubai is experiencing a very significant exodus of the expat population driven by the severe decline in the local economy, particularly real estate and construction is to be totally ignorant of the obvious reality. One only has to look around to see that roads are much emptier, rents are finally falling, real estate prices are still falling, vehicles are available at bargain prices, almost all companies in the real estate & construction sector are down 50-75% from peak staffing levels (if they still remain solvent), I could go on and on. Why not aknowlege and accept the obvious and start to focus on how we can stabilize and then rebuild a sustainable Dubai ecomony for the long term, rather than another bubble economy.
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