UAE | Education

Abu Dhabi school seat lottery leaves fate of hundreds of students in limbo

Unlike the usual Friday mornings, the school was thronged by thousands — children who were seeking admission and their parents.

By Rayeesa Absal, Staff Reporter
Published: 00:00 January 30, 2010

Image Credit: Rayeesa Absal/Gulf News
Parents gather to see if their children had secured a seat in the Abu Dhabi Indian School through the lottery.

Abu Dhabi: Little did three-and-a-half-year-old Shahid Ali Abrar know that he was sealing the academic fate of hundreds of children his age, perhaps his own.

He obediently picked coupons out of a box to decide the lucky few who had won no less than a ‘highly coveted' school admission.

More than 2,500 children had applied for the 109 seats available in the Abu Dhabi Indian School (ADIS) last week, wherein admissions would be decided by a lottery.

Friday morning was the school "lottery" day. Unlike the usual Friday mornings, the school was thronged by thousands — children who were seeking admission and their parents.

Shahid, vying for a kindergarten (KG) seat, was among the few toddlers invited to pick a coupon.

Happy

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The day began at 8am. As a packed auditorium anxiously witnessed the draw, admission seekers for other classes waited outside.

After a few hours, kindergarten applicants left the auditorium; most were dismayed at not winning a seat.

About 66 seats were available in KG, 30 in grade one and 13 in grade two.

"I feel very happy… it's like winning a huge lottery prize," Lighosh K.A., one of the parents who won a KG 1 seat, said.

He added that he had taken two days off from work to complete the application process for his daughter.

Another parent who was awaiting the result said: "It is all based on luck ... Seeing the rush makes me feel it is easier to get a medical seat admission."

"The government needs to intervene and find an alternative for the students, since Sherwood Academy has announced that they will close by 2013," Afsar Sajid, a parent, told Gulf News.

The school could be asked to extend its date of closure until an alternative solution is found to the shortage of seats in Indian schools, he suggested.

"Opening of a new school is the only solution," said Sushma Patel, who has been seeking admission for her eight-year-old son for the past three years.

Solution: Ministry decision will be crucial

The Abu Dhabi Indian School (ADIS) might go back to its shift system — where girls attend school in the morning and boys in the afternoon — provided the education ministry approves. Prominent businessman and Chairman of ADIS, B. R. Shetty, announced the decision.

"People are leaving with sad faces and this has compelled us to consider the shift system, at least until enough seats are available. The school will approach the ministry... if they approve, those who applied already will get first preference," he said.

What do you think of this system? What solution would you suggest to the problem?

Comments (15)

Added 19:11 January 30, 2010

Looking forward for the same also sincere prayers

Rasheed M. P, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Added 17:43 January 30, 2010

I think the only safe and sensible way to handle this problem is to build a new Indian school and until then the closing of Sherwood Academy should be postponed.

Anonymous, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Added 16:23 January 30, 2010

It is better to go back to shift system. Then only all students will get the admission.

Anonymous, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Added 13:27 January 30, 2010

2 years ago, Dubai went through the same crisis- parents were queuing overnight outside some schools to get seats. The corporate responded to this demand and many new schools cropped up.

Anonymous, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Added 13:00 January 30, 2010

I think the Ministry of Education needs to take immediate action in this situation. Sherwood School where most of the admission seekers come from must be compelled to extend its closure date and also allow its presently KG 2 grade students to continue to Grade 1 for the next academic year. They cannot just let go of more than 300 children studying in this grade stating that there will be no Grade I class anymore. We parents are struggling day after day to get admissions for our children, but without success. Seeing this situation, the Ministry has to intervene strongly and instruct Sherwood to continue its education to all the children who are presently studying in their school. This has to be carried on till we can get admissions into other schools. Another good solution is to increase the number of students in each class of every school. In this way many children who are awaiting admission will be granted a seat somewhere or the other. The sibling preference system should strongly be discontinued as it is not fair for other children who do not have siblings don't stand any chance of getting admission. Admission for each child should be made mandatory, without having any sibling quota.

Anonymous, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Added 12:13 January 30, 2010

Strongly suggest authorities intervene immediately as we see Abu Dhabi is growing rapidly one should not forget the demand for education will also increase. That means either number of Indian school should increase or for interim Indian High School Abu Dhabi must opt 2 shifts as suggested.

John D'Souza, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Added 12:10 January 30, 2010

Shift system will definitely go a long way in alleviating the predicament the parents of school going children are currently beset with. Hope the Education Ministry gives this request their approval to help many young children to study in ADIS without having to commute long distances daily.

Rafael Jones, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Added 11:58 January 30, 2010

I think the educational institutes should be ashamed. They are playing with the lives of young kids. If there are no seats available then all the educational institutions should sit down and figure this problem out rather than treating such things from a business mind set! It seems all have made it a business rather than an institute for education.

Raza Rizvi, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Added 11:50 January 30, 2010

I have never seen such systems anywhere. why is it getting so complicated and creating a lot of hassle for the parents. Education is the key and Im sure many parents would like to see their wards coming up in life so why not give their children the chance? do we need to have this lottery system? Some parents are taking time out just to accommodate their children but it ends up as failure. we need to have better education system and the authorities should take corrective measures or else parents would have to send their children back for their home countries.

Matthew Litty, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Added 11:18 January 30, 2010

I think that the 2 different shifts- morning girls and evening boys is really wrong, as this not only disrupts a family meeting time, but also it also does not teach punctuality. It increases pressure in students as they mostly dont get time to meet in one room

Anonymous, Dubai, United Arab Emirates