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Discuss this article (13 Comments)UAE private schools set for talks on shake-up move
by This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it on Wednesday, 28 October 2009
EDUCATION PLAN: The UAE is looking at possibly nationalising the country's private schools. (Getty Images)
The UAE's education chief has hinted that there are plans to nationalise private schools in the country.
Minister of Education Humaid Mohammed Al Qatami confirmed the move while answering questions at the second ordinary session of Federal National Council's fourth season on Tuesday.
He asserted the ministry's intention to restructure and regulate the ministry's division in charge of private education, news agency WAM reported.
Qatami said that there was a vision to nationalise private schools, adding that he would raise the issue during a meeting to be held with the heads of private schools next month. No further details were given.
There are currently 474 private schools in the UAE, where nearly half a million students seek education.
These schools follow different curricula but are under the supervision of the Ministry of Education, WAM reported.
Qatami also answered questions about the ministry's policy regarding the teaching of English in primary schools.
READERS' COMMENTS
Disclaimer: The views expressed here by our readers are not necessarily shared by ArabianBusiness.com or its employees.
Nationalisation of private schools
Posted by John on Monday 2 November 2009 at 09:13 UAE time
Would the governing authorities give a clear cut information on their plans first and allow public debate there after? The authorities must remember that kids who study here are an automatic workforce in the UAE and if we have professional class of kids it will only help the country. Ofcourse, the GEMS group have milked the expatriates but hope expats are not being tossed from deep water into a frying pan.
Posted by John on Monday 2 November 2009 at 09:13 UAE time
Would the governing authorities give a clear cut information on their plans first and allow public debate there after? The authorities must remember that kids who study here are an automatic workforce in the UAE and if we have professional class of kids it will only help the country. Ofcourse, the GEMS group have milked the expatriates but hope expats are not being tossed from deep water into a frying pan.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Posted by shibu on Friday 30 October 2009 at 11:52 UAE time
A GREAT MOVEMENT !
all the socio-economic issues begins with the influence of money. health care and education must be out of this evil force. always in the past UAE showed its excellence in great vision towards improvement,I am very glad to know this decession from education minister. CONGRATULATIONS!
Posted by shibu on Friday 30 October 2009 at 11:52 UAE time
A GREAT MOVEMENT !
all the socio-economic issues begins with the influence of money. health care and education must be out of this evil force. always in the past UAE showed its excellence in great vision towards improvement,I am very glad to know this decession from education minister. CONGRATULATIONS!
Unearthing what can cause a true shake-up....and the answer is Care
Posted by Susan Pires, Dubai, UAE on Thursday 29 October 2009 at 15:55 UAE time
I'm surprised anyone could feel the Varkey Group at any stage of its existence attached a greater priority to developing a truly caring educational system then to making profits. For all the theory behind the setting of mission and vision statements, all the hype we see in the educational sector can be taken with a pinch of salt. It's only missionary schools perhaps that might practise the virtues they preach (basing my experience of being brought up in a missionary school in India).....all expats come to Dubai to make money and the education sector is no exception.
In the circumstances, I think I can appreciate the efforts being made by the KHDA; however, since at the moment I'm neither a parent nor a teacher, I'm unable to say how effective these efforts are. What I would like the KHDA to know, however, is that so long as Varkey teachers are paid the pittance they get, any attempts to get more out of them would be like trying to draw out blood from a stone.
After all, they too have families of their own, lifestyles that they attempt to maintain in an inflationary situation, and I still believe in the old adage 'sow love and you will find love, sow care and you will find care.' I think it's time someone steps up and voices an opinion on the nobility of the role of teachers......I think the entire education systems needs an overhaul and the answer lies not in more bureaucracy but in focusing on developing in children the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to develop into useful citizens with marketable skills and a positive attitude ready to accept challenges.
Regarding the nationalisation of private schools, I do not think this is the way to go. Nationals from private schools fare better than nationals from government schools. So how can the government think it is doing its student community a favour by nationalising private schools. This might be a route for the future after having thought through the vision and curriculum....but for now, with all the frustration linked with the global credit crunch and job losses, I'm afraid going down this route will make the country very unattractive for expat families.
Posted by Susan Pires, Dubai, UAE on Thursday 29 October 2009 at 15:55 UAE time
I'm surprised anyone could feel the Varkey Group at any stage of its existence attached a greater priority to developing a truly caring educational system then to making profits. For all the theory behind the setting of mission and vision statements, all the hype we see in the educational sector can be taken with a pinch of salt. It's only missionary schools perhaps that might practise the virtues they preach (basing my experience of being brought up in a missionary school in India).....all expats come to Dubai to make money and the education sector is no exception.
In the circumstances, I think I can appreciate the efforts being made by the KHDA; however, since at the moment I'm neither a parent nor a teacher, I'm unable to say how effective these efforts are. What I would like the KHDA to know, however, is that so long as Varkey teachers are paid the pittance they get, any attempts to get more out of them would be like trying to draw out blood from a stone.
After all, they too have families of their own, lifestyles that they attempt to maintain in an inflationary situation, and I still believe in the old adage 'sow love and you will find love, sow care and you will find care.' I think it's time someone steps up and voices an opinion on the nobility of the role of teachers......I think the entire education systems needs an overhaul and the answer lies not in more bureaucracy but in focusing on developing in children the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to develop into useful citizens with marketable skills and a positive attitude ready to accept challenges.
Regarding the nationalisation of private schools, I do not think this is the way to go. Nationals from private schools fare better than nationals from government schools. So how can the government think it is doing its student community a favour by nationalising private schools. This might be a route for the future after having thought through the vision and curriculum....but for now, with all the frustration linked with the global credit crunch and job losses, I'm afraid going down this route will make the country very unattractive for expat families.
Nationalisation?
Posted by Sand Piper on Thursday 29 October 2009 at 15:27 UAE time
When I first read this I dismissed it out of hand as an unworkable nonesense. However having read it again, I am becomming slightly concerned, primarily because it is the Minister of Education himself who has revealed "a vision to nationalise private schools". Surely the Minister himself would not have said such a dramatic thing unless it was true.
But why ? There is no logic in doing this, no commercial benefit to the Government. The only motive I can think of is for the Ministry to have control over the curriculum, but this is not an opressive country where the leaders would dictate doctrine, and they can make regulations rather than the drastic measure of nationalising the schools, so I cant believe that this is their motive.
The only other thing I can think of is that there is a mistake in translation, and that by nationalization they actually mean an introduction of a class on National Heritage or something similar, but to forcefully take ownership of private institutions would send a shock through the region, and seems totally out of charachter.
I look foreword to some clarification.
Posted by Sand Piper on Thursday 29 October 2009 at 15:27 UAE time
When I first read this I dismissed it out of hand as an unworkable nonesense. However having read it again, I am becomming slightly concerned, primarily because it is the Minister of Education himself who has revealed "a vision to nationalise private schools". Surely the Minister himself would not have said such a dramatic thing unless it was true.
But why ? There is no logic in doing this, no commercial benefit to the Government. The only motive I can think of is for the Ministry to have control over the curriculum, but this is not an opressive country where the leaders would dictate doctrine, and they can make regulations rather than the drastic measure of nationalising the schools, so I cant believe that this is their motive.
The only other thing I can think of is that there is a mistake in translation, and that by nationalization they actually mean an introduction of a class on National Heritage or something similar, but to forcefully take ownership of private institutions would send a shock through the region, and seems totally out of charachter.
I look foreword to some clarification.
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