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Dubai schools pass inspections with flying colours
Figures released on Wednesday showed just 6 out of 69 Dubai schools surveyed in the first round of government inspections, were deemed 'unsatisfactory'. Four received 'outstanding' marks - the remainder being deemed as 'good' or 'acceptable'.
The inspection forms part of wider brief to assess Dubai’s 220 state and private schools ahead of a new system to regulate school tuition fees announced last week by government agency, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA)
Under the new system the level of tuition fee increases allowed will be based on the school’s performance after it has been inspected.
Each school in Dubai will be inspected by the Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau (DSIB).
Schools inspected so far will be given until April 2 to communicate the DSIB's findings to parents, after which summary reports on the schools concerned will be available to the general public on the KHDA's website.
All schools are set to be inspected by May 17, with the exception of Indian and Pakistani schools, whose academic years run differently from other schools and will be inspected during the academic year 2009-2010.
Seven key criteria are used to assess the performance of private and public schools - these including the overall performance of the school, attainment, students' progress, personal and social development, teaching and learning, curriculum and school leadership.
Inspectors will then put schools into four categories - unsatisfactory, acceptable, good or outstanding.
Those deemed ‘unsatisfactory’ will only be allowed to push up fees by 0-7 percent.
Schools within the ‘acceptable’ category will be allowed to increase fees by up to 9 percent.
Corresponding rates for ‘good’ and ‘outstanding’ schools are yp to 12 percent and 15 percent respectively.
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Comments 1-10 of 10
Posted by Simon on 28 March 2009 at 23:20 UAE time
Edgar Allen, I can only assume you have never set foot in Dubai College from your remarks about 'not for profit" schools. If your were to you would be pleasantly surprised, good facilities, good teaching, good results as compared to schools in the uk teaching similar pupils. Yes the fees go up, but how can a school stop landlords putting up the cost of staff accommodation etc and also the cost of living of its staff.
Posted by Mel on 28 March 2009 at 14:53 UAE time
If a school is deemed "unsatisfactory" then surely they shouldn't be allowed in increase fees at all!
Posted by Edgar Allen on 28 March 2009 at 07:27 UAE time
From our experience we can tell you non-profit schools do not charge much less than profit making ones. Infact probably the same. However you can see at the profit ones where the money has been spent (clean, new, great libraries and facilities, great staff that stay because they get paid well enough etc.) But a non-profit school is comparatively rundown, mean with paper etc., staff constantly change, and the parents have to raise the money to buy all playground equipment, seating etc.) So where does the money go in a non-profit school? It is definitely nowhere to be seen!
Posted by Rob Baker, Dubai, UAE on 27 March 2009 at 03:02 UAE time
Sam I love your comment that not all schools are greedy! You must be working at one of these schools or married to someone who is and that would explain your response. I think that people misuse the words "not for profit" in many ways. Let me explain myself to all of those and give them a wake up call, not for profit means: "An incorporated organization which exists for educational or charitable reasons, and from which its shareholders or trustees do not benefit financially." Now read this carefully and do you see anywhere the mention of Principals, Vice Principals, Teachers, Assistant Teachers, Nurses, etc. that make up the typical organisational charts of schools? The answer is no ofcourse! So a school maybe classified as "not for profit" but it does not the people in the school do not dictate their fat salaries and perks off the backs of our children. I mean, maybe my fees are enough to pay for the principals 1 month holiday in South Africa or Australia. A perk would include, for example, the HR Manager for that school driving a nice shiny Range Rover or enrolling their kids for "free" in that school. "Free" meaning we the parents that pay the real fees are paying for their kids to go to school.
So please do not throw around the words "not for profit" in your response so freely because maybe some of the readers will misinterpret it as "not for high paid staff with perks"! Which we all know is never the case for these schools!
Posted by SR, Dubai on 26 March 2009 at 15:07 UAE time
Well, I agree that all schools are not greedy and situation definitely is not comparable to rents. But increase in fees really needs justification: e.g. new building, increased salary for teachers, etc. Otherwise, schools will make it a right to increase fees every year, just because it falls withing KHDA %.
I really don't believe top schools in UAE are non-profit making, eventhough they say so (other than of course Government sponsored schools).
Firstly, fees in most so called top schools are pretty high (compared to whats on offer) and they also continue to increase fees. The argument that everything in terms of fees goes in to the school really does not count because it is a service industry; how much can you invest in a school? Only up to a certain point, e.g. you can have the best teachers available, best buildings, best labs etc. beyond that point it is your return. (This is what I feel based on common economic sense).
BTW, will somebody be in a position to suggest a good school for a budget around 25K p.a.
,
Posted by Sam, Dubai, UAE on 26 March 2009 at 11:29 UAE time
Firstly, to langyaw: The KHDA have already said that they will be publishing the results on 2nd April on their website, once schools have had the chance to communicate their individual results to parents.
Secondly, please do not place all schools in the "greedy" category. Many of the top schools here are, in fact, not for profit, such as DESS, JESS, DC to name but 3. Everything you, as parents, pay in goes directly into the school. That's not to say that all profit making schools are greedy either. You just need to do your research CAREFULLY before choosing the school.
Posted by Ruba, Dubai, United Arab Emirates on 26 March 2009 at 10:27 UAE time
I also can't find another word to express the situation of schools , but to say it's disgusting. Inspite of all the gloomy situation of schools , they are still going forward with their stupid increment procedures. When is the government going to be decisive and realistic towards what has to be done.Schools should be forbidden to increase fees.On the contrary, they are expected to reduce the fees in order to find students to occupy their seats. Expensive schools are still claiming that they are on waiting list. For goodness sake, what does it take to pay the admission fees for next year especially that this amount is mostly paid by companies and not individuals. Parents can pay this booking fees, but let's see who will be present in June or September to pay the first term fee. It's time that schools stop this arrogant attitude and come down to earth. My son is in School of Research Science and they are willing to increase the fees at least 20% . I tried to explain to one of their officials that I have to pull my kids out of school if they insist on this.She gave me a very stupid reply by saying that this is what they are looking for. She thinks that they are overloaded with kids and they want to a certain number of kids in school and not any extra. Could anyone believe that this could be a school's attitude in such circumstances??? The school put us as parents down firstly when they decided to increase the fees, and again , when they replied to our request in such an irresponsible manner.....
Posted by K S Kumar, Singapore, Singapore on 26 March 2009 at 10:09 UAE time
I dont undertsand why the inspection should be linked to Fee Hike. If genuine, KHDA should inspect schools and if they are found outstanding, let the government give them some funding or support to encourage good education in this emirate. Instead, why they should be encouraged to the fee hike. In my opinion, KHDA is carrying out this inspection just to give a legal blanket for the fee hike by these schools irrespective of the fact whether they are outstanding or unsatisfactory.
Posted by Sam, Dubai, UAE on 26 March 2009 at 10:04 UAE time
Perhaps Mr Tolley would like to check his facts before making such bold statements. A comparison of the results at GCSE and A-level of some of the "best schools" here with those of the TOP public schools in the UK may surprise him! Furthermore, schools too are facing increased costs and fee increases are necessary to maintain standards. However, it should, of course, be within reason. Many of the top schools in Dubai are non-profit making (meaning that ALL revenue is ploughed directly back into the school) and thus it seems rather ridiculous to compare school fees to rents. I cannot speak for profit making schools, as they are indeed likely to be run as businesses, however, Mr Tolley has clearly been ill informed.
Posted by langyaw, Dubai, UAE on 26 March 2009 at 09:35 UAE time
why aren't there names of these schools? are parents supposed to just guess and do trial and error?
since this exercise has already force-ranked the schools, it only behooves that the results of such ranking be made public, too.
authorities owe that to the parents, at least.
-- langyaw