Dubai: India’s announcement about opening a regional office of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in the UAE has been welcomed by CBSE school heads and principals here who say that the move will help students and teachers address many issues quickly.
India’s Minister of Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Dharmendra Pradhan, announced a CBSE office in Dubai during his three-day visit to the UAE, which concluded on Friday.
On Thursday, addressing a meeting at the Indian Consulate in Dubai attended by the principals of the CBSE schools in the UAE and joined virtually by their counterparts in various GCC countries, Pradhan said the proposed administrative office of CBSE will work in close cooperation with the Indian missions here.
Array of advantages
Some of the school heads who spoke to Gulf News said the announcement saw the fulfilment of a long-pending demand from the CBSE schools here.
Punit MK Vasu, the CEO of The Indian High Group of Schools, said India and the UAE are furthering the ties in the education sector with CBSE opening a formal office in the UAE.
“This will help CBSE schools in several ways such as exam centre allotment, coordination of practical exams, allotment of examination observers and centre superintendents, ease in students making payments for examinations, accessing CBSE-related resources, distribution of exam question papers, better logistics in the distribution of student-related documents and records.”
“It will definitely reduce response times, help apply for student-related exemptions in person, streamline payments between CBSE and examination centres and offer on-site support for various other technical matters between schools and CBSE.”
Pramod Mahajan, principal of Sharjah Indian School, appreciated the diplomats at the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Indian Consulate in Dubai for being instrumental in the Indian government taking this long-pending decision.
“This is a very good decision from the Minister of Education. We are very happy about it. It can resolve a lot of problems we face whether it is of academics or exams or affiliation-related things,” said Mahajan.
He said it would facilitate face-to-face pedagogical training and meetings with the principals.
“The students’ admissions issues, their affiliation issues, registration issues—and whatnot? All sorts of problems will be resolved sooner because the competent authority is going to be right here to address those issues.”
Lalitha Suresh, principal of GEMS Our Own Indian School in Dubai, said the long-awaited decision has come as a blessing. “This is such a delightful news. This will facilitate faster communication with CBSE regarding registering students, affiliation letters, conducting mandatory training sessions, any alterations in registrations or lists of candidates, change of mark sheets etc. It will become extremely easy not only for Indian schools in the UAE but for all Indian schools in Gulf countries.”
'Extremely heartening'
Qurat Ul Ain, principal of International Indian School, Ajman said the announcement “is extremely heartening”.
“It will allow schools in the UAE and other Gulf countries to coordinate and liaise effectively so that the turnaround time of addressing concerns and issues will be reduced drastically. Schools will also benefit in terms of academic planning, the conduct of board examinations and professional development of the teachers.”
“It will allow schools in the UAE and other Gulf countries to coordinate and liaise effectively so that the turnaround time of addressing concerns and issues will be reduced drastically. Schools will also benefit in terms of academic planning, the conduct of board examinations and professional development of the teachers.”
She said it is a timely initiative. “Students will also benefit if they have concerns of correction of data registered with the CBSE due to changes in documentation,” she added.
Huge number of beneficiaries
The Indian minister said there are over 250 overseas schools affiliated to CBSE. “Out of that, more than 200 schools are in the GCC and among that 106 schools are in the UAE.”
According to the UAE Ministry of Education, there are 271,109 Indian students in the UAE general education schools, including 248 in government schools and 270,861 in private schools. The vast majority of Indian expat students study in private schools affiliated with CBSE.
Ramkumar Thangaraj, consul for education at the Indian Consulate in Dubai, said the announcement about the CBSE office in Dubai marks a transformative step forward in strengthening the educational ties between India and the UAE.
“The CBSE office in Dubai will undoubtedly enhance accessibility and support for CBSE-affiliated schools in this region, opening up new avenues for collaboration and ensuring that our students receive the highest quality education guided by CBSE experts. This momentous decision reflects the unwavering commitment of the minister and the government of India to promote educational excellence not only within India but also for the Indian diaspora in this region. We are immensely grateful for this visionary initiative and look forward to the positive impact it will have on our educational landscape,” said Thangaraj.
