UAE | Education
Abu Dhabi to phase out evening schools
Education authority says 8,000 students from Grades 1 to 12 will have to move to day schools within three years.
- By Dina El Shammaa,Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:53 September 22, 2008
Abu Dhabi: Evening school classes for expatriates in Abu Dhabi will be phased out within three years during which 8,000 students from Grades 1 to 12 will be required to shift to day schools, a senior education official told Gulf News.
"I don't want any child to remember Abu Dhabi in 30 years time and feel he didn't receive a good educational experience. This is a positive initiative that will benefit our children of tomorrow," said Dr Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Director General of Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC).
There are currently 305 public schools across Abu Dhabi with 138 public schools in the capital city alone. Of these, 13 schools from Grades 1 to 12 offer evening classes for expatriates from 3pm to 8pm with a half-an-hour break.
Evening schools cater to parents, who are not able to afford the fees at private schools. The ADEC and Abu Dhabi Education Zone (ADEZ) will not be accepting further admissions for evening classes.
The education authorities believe that evening classes are unfair to teachers and are detrimental to the development of a child's personality.
With public schools holding evening classes, teachers are forced to work morning and evening shifts, which is stressful.
The student-parent relationship has also been reported to be tense in households. Students miss out on spending quality time with parents.
The authorities observed that children attending evening schools lack discipline and proper communication skills.
Mohammad Salem Al Daheri, Director of ADEZ, told Gulf News that two years ago the government realised that few students in evening schools posted academic scores above 90 per cent.
"We knew back then that the whole atmosphere in evening schools was a bad idea and decided to move 1,100 students from the emirate and 20 per cent of students in Abu Dhabi city to morning schools," said Al Daheri.
Sara Mohammad, a 13-year-old girl from Yemen, was placed in an evening school when she was only five years old.
Halima Mohammad, Sara's mother says, "My husband was obliged to place her in an afternoon school, but after he passed away, peace be upon him, my older daughter sponsored her schooling.
"Now Sara is in a private school and I feel a huge difference in her personality. She is more outspoken, confident, and bubbly."
Umm Ahmad from Jordan has five children, of which two are attending evening classes.
Gazal, 12, and Aisha, 8, both miss out on spending time with the rest of their family in the evening.
Umm Ahmad said: "I cannot complain about the educational system. It's just as good as in morning schools. The only complaint I have is with regards to the timings.
"My girls don't study with the rest of the children and don't go to school in normal hours with other children." Afternoon classes are not that cheap, said Umm Ahmad. "I pay Dh3,200 for Gazal and Dh2,100 for Aisha. But private schools are much more expensive. we pay Dh6,400 for my son, and he's only in Grade One!"
Share this article
More from UAE Education
More from UAE
Popular in UAE
-
Your pictures
Readers' pictures
The best reader pictures from around the UAE this week
Latest news
- Criminal wanted in 360 cases arrested in Dubai
- UAE visitor admits to possessing fake notes
- Men get bail in Dubai due to lack of translator
- Security trial in UAE adjourned until December
- Colombia seeks stronger ties with UAE
- Conference on combatting crime through sports begins
- Passer-by foils Dh2.5m robbery bid in Dubai
- Brothers deny vandalising plaintiff's car
- Extended break for Eid and National Day
- Free SMS offer for paid parking in Dubai
- UAE official urges corporate support for diabetes control initiatives
- Duo develop low energy desalting process
- Embassy in Abu Dhabi provides glimpse of Indian culture
- Sharjah book fair to focus on innovative publishers
- Festival expected to galvanise UAE's Pakistani community
Community Reports
-
Pavement parking irks pedestrians
Gulf News reader calls on authorities to step in and stop car owners from invading pathways meant for safe walking
-
Faded parking lines pose a problem
Motorists could be fined for parking incorrectly even though they can hardly see the boundaries in the designated areas
-
School buses block residential parking
Commercial vehicles taking up free parking facilities in Al Wuheida, inconveniencing residents in surrounding villas
-
Community report: Doing their bit for poor children
A group of students takes concrete action to raise funds for Dubai Cares
