Ministry sets rules for new school admissions

The Ministry of Education and Youth has issued a circular to private Arab and foreign schools, spelling out admission regulations for the academic year 2002-3.

The schools have been asked to abide by the executive statute of the Federal Law No. 28 of 1999 concerning private education, recording minimum and maximum age of students for all grades, and the date on which school children's age is counted, according to the circular issued by Ali Meihad Al Suwaidi, Assistant Undersecretary for Private and Specialised Education.

A lower kindergarten pupil must be at least three-years-old, a higher KG pupil must be at least four-years-old, and a first grader must be at least five-years-old, ministry sources said.

The age shall be counted as on September 15 for schools which have British and American curricula, while for schools adopting Asian curricula the age will be counted as on April 15.

According to Circular No. 54/2 of 2002, new admissions to all grades can be registered from the beginning of the academic year until November 15, 2002.

Transfer between schools of the same educational zone which have the same curriculum may be made from the beginning of the academic year until January 30, 2003.

Transfer between schools of the same educational zone with different curricula may be made from the beginning of the academic year until November 15, 2002.

Transfer between schools of different educational zones which have the same curriculum may be made from the beginning of the academic year until April 15, 2003.

Transfer between schools of different educational zones and with different curricula may be made from the beginning of the academic school until November 15, 2002.

Transfer from abroad to Arabic private schools with the same curricula may be made from the beginning of the academic year until April 15, 2003.

Transfer from abroad to foreign private schools with the same curricula and which hold exams in June, may be made from the beginning of the academic year until May 1, 2003. But the student must not remain absent from school for more than one month and that the other school starts on the same academic year.

Transfer from abroad between schools with different curricula may be made from the beginning of the year until November 15, 2002.

Transfer between government and private Arabic schools may be made from the beginning of the academic year until January 30, 2003. Transfer between government and private foreign schools , from the beginning of the academic year until November 15, 2002, provided that a student has not been absent from school for more than one month.

Admission applications for registration of new pupils must be enclosed and duly attested.

Promotion or transfer certificates must be written in Arabic or English for students from foreign schools. These certificates must be attested by the Ministry of Education , Education Office in a state or a region, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, embassy or consulate of the UAE in the country where the certificate is issued.

Certificates obtained from Western and Scandinavian Europe, North America and Australia are exempted from the attestation requirement.

Registration applications for KG pupils and first graders will be submitted to the Educational Zone for approval.

Admission applications for students from foreign schools will be submitted to the ministry by the Educational Zone for approval.

No application can be submitted after the dates specified in this circular.

If a parent is willing to demote the pupil, a written request by the parent and attested by the school, must be enclosed. Demotion is allowed for two grades only, provided that the age criterion is met.

Students of private schools which have the Egyptian curriculum may only be transferred to schools which have the curriculum of the Ministry of Education. He in this case must submit a certificate proving that he has studied the Egyptian curriculum from Grade I up to the last grade he passed.

Students from outside shall be admitted under article 39 of the law. Admission applications must be submitted immediately for approval. No school is allowed to temporarily accept incomplete documents unless it obtains approval from the ministry.

The Ministry of Education's application forms must be used as other forms will not be approved or attested by the ministry.