REVEALED: GEMS' letter to parents on school closure

  • Share via facebook
  • Tweet this
  • Bookmark and Share

Dear Parents,

The Westminster School, Dubai (TWS) is a school that has served the community faithfully for many years and we have been immensely proud of the schools many accomplishments and achievements during this time.

However, in recent times our ability to invest the resources required to produce the improvements needed, both educationally and in infrastructure, have been severely restricted because of the current fee structure. In order for all our students to reach the levels of academic success that our parents and GEMS expect, continuous investment is required.

Over the past five years, GEMS management, together with the leadership team from The Westminster School, Dubai has worked diligently to try and improve facilities and educational provision at the school.

While both GEMS and the Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau (DSIB)  have noted improvements, the judgement by DSIB on the schools performance remains ‘acceptable’, even after four years of inspections and despite rising examination results. 

At The Westminster School, over the past five years the average fee increase, per annum, has been just 167 dirhams. That equates to around 13 dirhams a month. For two of the past five years there has been no fee increase at all.

We simply cannot offer a high quality education at this level that we see as our duty to provide. Indeed, salary increases during the same period have been at a level higher than any fee awards.

Sadly and with regret, it is therefore our intention to close The Westminster School Dubai with effect from June 2014. KHDA has provided the necessary approvals.

Needless to say it has been a very difficult decision. We have decided to inform you now in order to provide you with as much time as possible to find a new school.

We have shown, over many years that we are deeply committed to our community and we are determined, with your support and engagement, to ensure that your children are given the option of a place in other GEMS schools from 2013 onwards in preparation for the closure in June 2014.

Students from TWS, Dubai will be given priority placement in the following GEMS schools from 2013 onwards. This is subject to meeting normal admissions procedures.

These schools include:

•        The Winchester School, Oud Metha – FS 1 and general secondary school enquiries excluding year 11 but including year 12. * This is subject to KHDA approvals for opening grades 9 – 13.

•        The Westminster school, Sharjah – Kindergarten – Year 9 enquiries.

•        The Winchester school, Jebel Ali – Year 12 enquiries only.

•        The Westminster school, RAK – Primary school enquiries.

•        Cambridge International school – Year 12 enquiries only.

Please view the above attachment for more information on the options available.

As GEMS increases capacity in its network further schools will be identified as destinations for priority placement for TWS students.

Sincerely,

Dino Varkey

Group Executive Director

GEMS Education

Related:
Companies
Join the Discussion

Disclaimer:The view expressed here by our readers are not necessarily shared by Arabian Business, its employees, sponsors or its advertisers.

Please post responsibly. Commenter Rules

Posted by: Peter

I'm not sure why there is so much anger about this announcement. It is simply a commercial decision. The school is giving nearly 2 years notice as well as accommodating students on preferential basis elsewhere within their network.

I recall many parents commenting earlier as to how schools here are minting money and if they're not making money, why don't they close etc. Well, when the decision to close does come, this is the reaction? So this is a no win situation for schools then.

On one hand, management is constrained by KHDA (and parents) on fee increases etc, and on the other, cost pressures are slowly dropping the quality of education in these institutes.

Some may disagree, but I believe free market dynamics would work better than to have KHDA dictate what fee increases can or cannot happen. Parents will enroll their kids where they get the right value (net benefit after costs) based on what they aspire for.

Posted by: agnes

The fact that GEM's managements is doing this as a strategy, in the end KHDA final say have made this happen... as they mentioned it was already approved by KHDA??? to which I find it more questionable what brings KHDA to approve such move... knowing that this is not the first time they have done it...its a big question mark...??? yes to be fare it is a business.. but to completely disregard their main purpose which is "to educate" leaves this situation a wrong move for GEMS.

Posted by: jpv

Good strategy!!! close the school which does not bring in too much profit. Refurbish and open a new school with much higher fees on the same premises. who cares about the students!!! The bottom line is profit, right?

Posted by: Joy Fawaz

#KeepTWS
you're not gonna die if u kept our school which we love and care about
not all parents can afford higher fees payment
I always proudly answer people who ask me which school are you in by sayin " THE WESTMINISTER SCHOOL"
It's MORE than a home for me , its my life , my family , my friends
TWS is running through my veins
Hats-Off For TWS <3

Posted by: A normal guy

People like you lower down the humanity, profit?? Education was always the intention to bring up students that will help the future! and here you are talking about profit. Mr jpv your mind for inability to think and look forward has gone completely to utter ZERO!

Posted by: Baiju

That is quiet a good business strategy....good move....for you ...This is kind of indirectly threatening the parents..."Either you give higher and higher fees..or we will shut down the school" you people are into this business since decades...and sunny group earned all their monies from this business only...you have earned millions and millions...and for sure it is not from thin air...!!! Keep in mind that you are running an educational institute...not a grocery or supermarket...to shut it down whenever you like...Educational Institutions do have more social commitment than a super market....Business apart...!!!!

Posted by: rgk

THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH WORDS of REGRET ONE CAN WRITE .IF GEMS MANAGEMENT HAS FORGOTTEN, THEN SHOULD GO BACK TO THE ROOTS FROM WHERE THEY CAME AND LEARN AGAIN. MENTALLY DISTURBING CHILDREN AND THEIR FUTURE IS NOT A WAY TO EARN . THEY CAN LEARN FROM THE LAND WHERE THEY EARN.

Posted by: Naseeb Nassar

PLEASE DONT CLOSE THIS SCHOOL.
This is one of the best school that i have ever happened to see, infact, you could increase the fees structures higher.
But the education, quality & respect is never found anywhere but The westminster school.

Its Our Love, Its Our Home, Its our Family!

As our school song says " Bind us together as One big Family"
Please, we want to sing that again together.

Posted by: ashok

they have done the same for OUR OWN ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL on the same grounds and open a new school with much higher fees in the same building as well as another building.Their GREED is unsatiable.
IN OOEHS they incread fees one way or other every year.

Enter the words above: Enter the numbers you hear:

All comments are subject to approval before appearingTerms and conditions

Further reading

Features & Analysis
The world's most influential Arabs: Power defined

The world's most influential Arabs: Power defined

Putting together a list of the world’s most powerful Arabs is...

Behind the scenes at Emirates Aviation College

Behind the scenes at Emirates Aviation College

Training the employees of one of the world’s largest airlines...

1
Wider world opened to Saudis studying abroad

Wider world opened to Saudis studying abroad

This year alone about 130,000 Saudi students are studying abroad...

2
Most Discussed
  • 27
    Are there too many Brits in the UAE?

    As is made clear each and every time a discussion about the need for integration comes up, Westerners are programmed in a way that makes it perfectly okay... more

    Thursday, 23 May 2013 2:50 PM - Hisham
  • 19
    Bahrain MPs vote to ban pork in kingdom

    The enlightened view of some of the commentators(the ones from Pakistan especially) bring me much joy and happiness. We are all fairly clear about the... more

    Thursday, 23 May 2013 4:43 PM - Maulana Abdul Fazl
  • 14
    Turkish Airlines says sorry for flights mix-up

    To be fair, it is not that difficult to mix Dakar and Dhaka up. Those travelling to the US for the first time may very likely get confused between Santa... more

    Thursday, 23 May 2013 11:29 AM - Bilal
  • 44
    Dubai labourers stage rare strike for more pay

    As much as I love the UAE, this will be a problem for them in the future. Lets look at this from any democratic Country on Earth. If I decided not to turn... more

    Wednesday, 22 May 2013 11:56 AM - Ty Say
  • 27
    Are there too many Brits in the UAE?

    As is made clear each and every time a discussion about the need for integration comes up, Westerners are programmed in a way that makes it perfectly okay... more

    Thursday, 23 May 2013 2:50 PM - Hisham
  • 24
    Kuwait to start medical care segregation on June 1

    Let me put the entire issue in perspective. There are massive traffic problems on the roads of Kuwait, where Kuwait can boast high road fatalities and... more

    Tuesday, 21 May 2013 1:28 PM - Abdullah
  • 54
    Emirates defends no staff bonus, despite huge profit

    Happy employees, happy customers. Quite simple actually. 60,000 unhappy staff, well, you do the math on how many unhappy customers can result from poor... more

    Monday, 20 May 2013 10:27 AM - Louie Tedesco
  • 44
    Dubai labourers stage rare strike for more pay

    As much as I love the UAE, this will be a problem for them in the future. Lets look at this from any democratic Country on Earth. If I decided not to turn... more

    Wednesday, 22 May 2013 11:56 AM - Ty Say
  • 27
    Are there too many Brits in the UAE?

    As is made clear each and every time a discussion about the need for integration comes up, Westerners are programmed in a way that makes it perfectly okay... more

    Thursday, 23 May 2013 2:50 PM - Hisham