Abu Dhabi: In order to ensure that pupils at two Indian curriculum villa schools facing closure are not affected, a government school building in the capital will be granted to a new facility that can accommodate them, educational authorities confirmed on Thursday.
The emirate’s regulatory body, the Abu Dhabi Education Council, is now in the final stages of offering the government building to the new private school, the Adec’s Private School and Quality Assurance Sector confirmed to Gulf News in a statement.
“The new school will be an affordable solution [for displaced pupils, and it will grant] priority [admission] for the pupils affected by the permanent closures of the Indian Islahi Islamic School and the Little Flower Private School,” the statement added.
Over the last few years, the Adec has been working to close down all villa schools in the emirate of Abu Dhabi due to concerns over health and safety standards. As part of this drive, the two schools, which were housed in non-purpose built facilities, were ordered to shut down last summer at the end of their 2013-2014 academic year in March 2014. At the time of the announcement, 1,310 pupils were enrolled from KG 1 to Grade 12 at Indian Islahi, while Little Flower had 570 pupils in classes from KG 1 to Grade 8.
Today’s statement from the Adec also said that the new school for displaced pupils, which was not named, is expected to be operational by the middle of April 2014.
Concern
Parents were relieved to hear about the decision, saying that it allayed their worries about the continuation of their children’s education.
“I have been greatly concerned because both of my sons were enrolled at Indian Islahi, and the older of them is due to start Grade 12 when the 2014-2015 academic year begins next month [April]. I have been checking back with the school management regularly, and I am very happy that the Adec will help provide a solution for our children,” said Fasaluddin Mohammad, 46, a facilities coordinator.
He however hoped that further details about the new facility would be revealed soon so that his children could prepare to get back to school.
“I was already working to try and secure admission for my son, who is progressing to Grade 5 this year, at another private school. But last week, we received notification from the management that a new school will be made accessible soon,” said Rajesh Kumar, parent of a nine-year-old, previously studying at Little Flower.
“So we have decided to let him continue at this new institution, especially as tuition fees at most other institutions are rather steep. This is a positive decision from the educational authorities,” he added.
