Abu Dhabi: Some of the common complaints among parents these days includes rising school fees, limited choices, and lack of class-room seats, especially among Indian schools.
An Indian mother, who asked to be identified under the initials JV, has her daughter enrolled in one of the capital city's private Indian schools, which is scheduled to shut down next year.
Despite the Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) releasing information that more Indian schools are due to open in the next few years in efforts to introduce more classroom seats, JV still feels uncomfortable with the current schooling situation.
"Parents are sceptical in sending their children to just any school for the sake of schooling. Everyone wants 'the best' from how they view the standards of education in each school and from feedbacks from other parents. Sending my daughter to India is not at all on my list of priorities. Other Indian schools are full or have a lottery system, which is a mere game of luck."
"Admission in higher classes is really tough - the higher the grade - the tougher admission becomes. In 6th grade, this year only about 2-3 children were chosen and that too on waiting list. All seats are full and there is no scope till a few years to come. Parents queue up from 6.30am to put in applications and wait for lottery system only to return dejected and frustrated," said JV.
JV's complaint is now encouraged to be escalated to Adec directly through a "Parents Satisfaction Survey" - a newly released website which promises to explore areas such as teaching, school leadership, student attitude, required school improvements, communication with parents, school assessment, favourite subjects, IT and facilities, school environment, teacher quality and assignments
According to Dr. Masood Badri, Adec's Director of Research and Performance Management Division, the move will help create fair and consistent student's discipline, attitudes of school staff, extra-curricular activities, extra academic help offered to students, parents' involvement.
"The survey also explores tuition fees imposed by private schools and whether it is appropriate relative to the quality of education and impacts of fee related complaints to the relationship with school. Parents are asked if they were requested to pay an advance payment to secure a place for their children," said Dr. Badri.
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