Dubai: Officials have urged parents of students affected due to the temporary licence suspension of a school in Dubai to approach the education authority for help. So far the parents of only 48 students have sought help from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) following the suspension of Dubai American Scientific School’s (DASS) licence in September.

More than 125 newly-enrolled students were left in the lurch after KHDA took punitive action against the school for breach of regulations. Officials, however, are still unsure about the exact number of new students enrolled at the school since the school records are inaccurate, according to the KHDA.

Abdul Rahman Nasser, executive director of customers relations at KHDA, said: “So far, we have been approached by the parents of 48 students from DASS.”

KHDA has successfully placed the students whose parents approached it for assistance in 10 schools in Dubai including Al Nebras School, Al Mawakeb School and Al Khaleej National School, he said. “We thank all these schools for the cooperation and support they have shown to the parents and students involved.”

KHDA officials found a number of things amiss at DASS including illegal hiring of teachers, violence on the school premises and non-compliance with safety regulations. Located in Al Quoz, the school which follows the US curriculum was rated unsatisfactory during inspections by KHDA earlier this year. In August, the school was informed not to take on new students until the rules and regulations were duly complied with. However, the school went ahead and admitted new students this academic year without notifying KHDA, officials said.

After this came to light, the KHDA directed parents of new students to immediately withdraw their children and find other schools for them warning that the certificates of their children would have no validity without being registered with the KHDA.

A week after the licence suspension, KHDA announced that there would be further action against the school for calling off classes for a week to install security cameras. Schools require prior approval from KHDA both for dismissing classes and installing security cameras.