Few of the parents who paid advance school fees to the 21st Century Private Academy would have been aware that the Abu Dhabi Education Council was about to cancel its operating licence for continual poor performance. The closure in August last year left parents in the difficult position of having not just to find a new school for their children but also pay another set of fees.
Many of them would have struggled to find the extra money, especially if they have several children of school age. All this explains why we ought to applaud the generous decision by Adec that school fees paid to the previous operator would be honoured by the group that now runs the school.
If the parents succeed in their court action against the previous operator to reclaim their fees, the money will go to the new group but Adec’s decision removes a significant source of uncertainty and stress for parents. Now they can concentrate on ensuring their children excel at the new school.
