Choosing the best school for children

Parents need to check the quality of teaching and read the government inspectors' reports

The future of the UAE lies with its young people. Young men and women with new skills and attitudes will be taking their place in society with the passage of time. And this should be a matter of great pride and excitement. The present older generation can do no more than build the foundations that the next will use, and it will have to trust the next generation to do their best for their society and country as educated Gulf Arabs.

This is why it is a real concern that too many UAE nationals are not getting the best education that they could. There have been well-publicised failings in the government schools, with too much emphasis on learning by rote and the Ministry of Education is right to take the schools through a long period of improvement and renewal.

But some private sector schools are also guilty of offering sub-standard education. It should be clear that high fees do not necessarily equal high educational standards. When parents choose a school for their children, they should first check the quality of the teaching, and read the government inspectors' reports. Parents have the right to insist on the best for their children.