Dear Ali: I'm conducting some studies on education in the GCC and would like to hear your opinion on the biggest challenges the people of the UAE face daily when it comes to educating their children, especially with all the changes happening to the education sector in the country. JT, London
Dear JT: Many parents go through a lot of pain to decide whether it's best to register their children at a government school or a private one.
I posted this question on my social media channels and received a lot of different opinions. The main challenge is that many parents are unsure about choosing government or private schools, as their main aim is to provide the best learning experience possible, to help their children further their careers. Many Emiratis prefer that their children go to private schools, as opposed to the government ones, which are free.
There are also families who would prefer their children get a good foundation in a private school, and then transfer them to a government school once they reach a higher grade. Then there are others who prefer their daughters go to government schools, so that there is less interaction with male students.
There is a new trend of good private schools attracting Emiratis by offering separate classrooms for boys and girls.
Personally, I would send my children to a government school, since I studied there myself. I believe it is the best option since our government puts in a lot of effort to enhance the educational system, especially by integrating Arabic into the curriculum.
Many Emirati parents express concern over their children’s Arabic-speaking skills if they attend private schools, but I believe parents are also responsible for their children’s language skills, and not just the school. If the parents speak Arabic, with a good balance of English, it won’t matter whether the children go to a private or government school.
I love the English language and was one of the top students in my school. That was because my parents took the time to make sure I practised it at home. My sisters and I would also speak to our Filipino maid, Cora, in English and that really helped as well.
At the end of the day, our government is working in conjunction with the Ministry of Education, Abu Dhabi Education Council and education entities from the other emirates to put together the best strategies and systems, so future generations get the best education.
Ali Al Saloom is a cultural adviser and public speaker from the UAE. Follow @AskAli on Twitter, and visit www.ask-ali.com to ask him a question and to find his guidebooks to the UAE, priced at Dh50.
