Substandard teaching leads to private tutoring
As someone who was a student not long ago, kindly understand it is not often possible or practical for parents to help children with homework, beyond a certain grade (‘Private tutoring cost higher than school fees, parents say’, Gulf News, April 13). School curricula constantly changes and the content being taught in schools now might be quite different from what parents themselves studied. The reason private tuitions flourish is because teaching at schools is often substandard and teachers are underpaid, leading them to offer extra coaching outside class and sometimes incentives for students who attend those tuitions. Moreover, teachers are expected to cover large portions in relatively short periods of time, which makes it difficult to do justice to the subject matter in the classroom. It’s a sad state of affairs when school fees are already exorbitant.
From Ms Jerusha Sequeira
UAE
Facebook comment
Why is school not enough?
Yes, it is true that the tuition fees are much higher than school fees. So, what is school for exactly, if not to teach our children? Why is school not enough for students? Why do the students need extra coaching outside of school? I think private tutoring systems should stop and there should be changes to create a proper teaching environment at schools.
From Mr Mohammad Zakir Al I. S.
UAE
Facebook comment
Parents must be tutors
I think parents should devote some time to children to set a timetable. If they make sure their child is revising the lessons taught in school on a day-to-day basis, doubts could be cleared the very next day and tuitions would not be necessary. It’s fashionable nowadays to pass on the responsibility of our own children to tutors.
From Ms Smita Ojha
Dubai
Facebook comment
Why spend so much on fees?
My son goes to one of the most expensive American schools and yet his Arabic language teachers say that we should send him for private tuitions. What’s the use of spending a lot on school fees when we have to get him help outside the classroom, as well?
From Ms Mariam Mukhtar
Dubai
Facebook comment
Tutored children make better students
I am a mother of three children, who are attending a reputable high school in Dubai. I am paying approximately Dh2,000 per week for extra tuition classes for my children in order for them to keep up with their subjects at a high standard. My children are fairly bright, but due to the slack in teaching standards recently, I have had no choice in this competitive world. Having said that, I am shocked and horrified as to how many of our friends and their children are in similar situations.
Most good schools will claim that children attending their schools do not need private tuition classes outside school, but if teaching standards are not up to standard, parents have no alternative. Most teachers engage in giving private tuitions to earn a little extra money, as their salaries may not be sufficient. However, recently, it seems that school teachers are under performing with the hope of being approached to give extra paid classes outside of school.
The sad part is that when those tutored children go on to top universities, the schools are basking in the glory of their excellence, when in reality, it boils down to a lot of parental dedication, thousands of extra dirhams spent outside of school and very often, extra counselling from private companies. I am sure an anonymous survey of families pressured to send their children for private tutoring lessons, would reveal the truth!
From Mr M. M.
Dubai
Tread carefully with the US
Even though this meeting of the US and Cuba is historic, so much importance should not be attached to it, because I don’t believe anyone can truly trust the US’ realpolitik (‘Obama, Castro hold ‘candid’ meeting’, Gulf News, April 12). This scepticism is gaining ground in the wake of a gesture of normalisation with other arch rivals, such as Iran and Venezuela. If these renewed talks between various countries have any correlation, then it will be amply clear that the US is consolidating its position against Russia in a systematic way, slowly but steadily. We all know the US had a better relationship with both Muammar Gaddafi and Saddam Hussain once. The criteria used to attack their regime was not applied against Bashar Al Assad in Syria. So, weaker nations should always approach the US with caution.
From Mr Girish R. Edathitta
Dubai
US-Cuban relations, welcome news
With reference to Gulf News’ editorial on US and Cuban relations, the meeting highlights a shift in the US policy on Cuba and it is an obvious turning point in the world’s history. After more than 50 years of an absence of diplomatic contact, the historical meeting of the two leaders has acknowledged a lot of priorities set for the region. It took more than half a century for a Cuban leader to declare his US counterpart as an honest man.
US President Barack Obama has always seemed to have values and a certain respect in his approach to civilisations of the past, and seems to actually want to bring them together with the intention of strengthening stability in the region. This shift in thinking would definitely make a difference in the approach of people in both the countries in the years to come. Let’s collectively welcome this move.
From Mr Ramachandran Nair
Oman
Responsibility rests with doctors
If a person is abusing their medical insurance policy, it’s not only his fault (‘Higher medical insurance usage in UAE comes with abuses’, Gulf News, April 13). The hospital should also be blamed for this abuse. Hospitals and doctors should be accountable, because when a patient asks to do a test, the doctor should outright reject it if it is not needed and state that it is an unnecessary test. They should even alert the insurance companies about the person.
From Ms Shareen
UAE
Website comment
Fight illness with your attitude
I am a reader of Gulf News as it provides a lot of information, and keeps me up-to-date throughout the day. It gives me the opportunity to share my story of living with diabetes. I have Type-2 diabetes and have been so for the past four years. I was shocked when I heard for the first time that I was diabetic, but doctors gave me complete confidence and educated me about the subject. It really helped me a lot and since then, I have managed to control it through proper diet and 30 minutes of regular exercise — usually a brisk walk. A good doctor and belief in oneself can help change everything. It can play a very positive role and this is what I want to share with others, whether you are diabetic or have any disease. If you have the right doctor and a proper plan, you can do whatever you want to do through sheer willpower.
From Mr Khurram
UAE
Full name withheld by request
Sensationalism is a problem
This issue has been ongoing from six to seven years ago, when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was not even in the picture (‘Mumbai stung by Marathi chauvinism, Hindutva’, Gulf News, April 11)! So why drag them into it? The topic covered needs to be assessed by the media with maturity and it surely does not need to be sensationalised. Life in Mumbai, India goes on.
If the November 26, 2008 attack by terrorists couldn’t kill Mumbai’s spirit, do you really think a few signboards will? Asking for the Marathi culture and language to be respected in Maharashtra isn’t too much. This is why South Indians are respected there. They know how to adapt to and respect local sensibilities. Only Mumbai residents know its true soul, not those who are out for a piece of juicy journalism!
From Ms Deepti Ramachandran
UAE
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