Schools need to find their way forward

Private education providers are businesses, but they are also part of the community

Many schools simply don’t know which students will be coming back in September after the summer break. Pawan Singh / The National

Our highly transient population presents a challenge for education planning. Expatriates come and go all the time, making it difficult to predict the number of places needed at the private schools that teachtheir children. Just a year ago, schools were hardly able to meet the demand of the burgeoning population. However, due to changes in the economy, that is no longer the case. Many schools simply don’t know which students will be coming back in September after the summer break.

In Dubai, the number of private schools is increasing, meaning there may be an oversupply of places. Twenty more private schools are due to open by next year, raising the total number to 193. In this scenario, some schools are struggling to attract pupils.

While major education providers with several campuses should be able to survive through reorganisation, schools that cater for low- and middle-income families may face dramatic cuts or even closure. Some are already struggling to cope with rising rents and other operational costs. The challenge for all schools is to attract high-quality teachers, and this is especially true for those that are under notice to improve their standards.

In Abu Dhabi, for example, 14 out of the 41 private schools inspected by Abu Dhabi Education Council this academic year have been rated "weak" and five "very weak". These schools argue that they cannot improve their standards without increasing fees, which is not permitted unless they first raise their standards. As Natasha Ridge, from the education think tank Al Qasimi Foundation, told The National, this cycle will continue if these schools don't get some form of support.

As we argued last week, the home governments and communities of international schools catering for low-income families could take the initiative in helping them to improve standards. Businesses could also help as part of their corporate social responsibility programmes. And the employers of expatriates with children may have to reassess the level of financial support that they provide.

At the end of the day, private schools are businesses that are vulnerable to normal market conditions – in this case the number of students. Those with the flexibility to adapt will do so. Nobody wants to see schools close down. It is clear that the owners of schools under financial pressure need to work with families, teachers and the broader community to find the way ahead.