Abu Dhabi: Parents who have been unable to obtain school admissions for their children are looking at all options on the table, including moving back to their home countries.
“Our son’s education is our first priority, and we’ve applied to more than three schools for admission this year. He is already four years old now and, if we cannot find a seat, I will have to move back to India with him while my husband stays back,” said Laxmi Devarapalli, a 38-year-old homemaker from India.
“Splitting up the family in this way is very disruptive, so we are also applying to international curriculum schools at present,” she added.
For Jiby Thomas, 35, a finance and administration manager, enrolling his son at a school offering an international curriculum is not a viable option. “The tuition fees are much higher at these schools, and it will be difficult for my children to adjust to the Indian curriculum when we have to move back to India in the future,” he said.
Thomas said he was even considering delaying his son’s schooling for a year if no admission was offered.
Some school authorities said homeschooling was an option worth considering.
“Children who show sufficient academic abilities can be admitted up to Grade 1 without prior schooling. So parents can consider teaching their children on their own if they cannot find a place,” said Rajendran Padmanabhan, prinicipal at the Sunrise English Private School.
Sridevi Muthukumaran, human resources and administrative officer at the Emirates Future International Academy, added that about 15 children were admitted directly into the school’s KG 2 level each year.
