Dubai: Parents of a four-year-old boy have hit out at a school’s decision to kick their child out of a summer class programme two days after he was granted admission.
The school claimed the child was excluded because he had ‘behavioural incapacities’ and therefore needed special care.
Filipino expatriate Rommel Liwanag, 47, claims United International Private School (UIPS) discriminated against his son Miggy (not his real name) when they expelled him just two days after classes opened.
“We were informed over the phone that the school management decided that would be my son’s last day in school because of his hyperactivity,” Liwanag told Gulf News.
“We really feel that they have discriminated against our son because I do not think that you can judge a child’s learning capacity in just two days of being with him,” he added.
In its latest school inspection report published in May 2012, Knowledge and Human Development Authority(KHDA) gave UIPS a rating of “Acceptable.” It further recommended UIPS should “develop provision for special educational needs including a review of the admissions policy and diagnostic processes.”
The incident with Miggy happened two months after the report was published.
KHDA, however, could not be reached for comment at the time of going to press.
When contacted by Gulf News, UIPS Principal Dr. Eunice Orzame said: “He [Miggy] is not really recommended for the mainstream classes because of the behavioural incapacities of the child.
“And much to our desire to accept him, we do not have the special facilities for special children. And we have plans in the future to put up these special education classes, but we have to be prepared, get ready with a special education teacher.”
“He was given a chance, hoping that This kid would follow rules, obey, and behave. But then during the period that he was here for two days, he did nothing but just roam around the classroom. In fact, the teacher only focused on him. How about the other kids?” Nerrissa Villacete, the school’s guidance counsellor, explained.
Liwanag admitted that Miggy has a short attention span, is very inquisitive, gets easily bored, and is very active.
But he said that prior to bringing him to Dubai three months ago, they had him checked by his paediatrician who said that everything was normal for his age.
UIPS refunded all of Miggy’s fees except for the admission fee. They said that they’d be willing to take him in again in the future once their special education facility has been put in place.
“This is not about money, that’s not important. As parents, we really feel let down. They could have just rejected him from the very beginning. We even spent two days for this admission process,” Liwanag said.
