Building contract awarded for new Al Bateen School

An artist's rendition of Al Bateen School, which will be run by Aldar Academy.

The new Al Bateen School will be built by Al Fara'a Construction and its British affiliate, Wates Construction. The high school will be completed next year and accommodate up to 1,120 pupils. The campus, in Abu Dhabi city, will be 24,000 square metres and will include a swimming pool, library and sporting facilities among other amenities.

Aldar Academy will be in charge of running it along with their three other schools in Abu Dhabi: Al Yasmina, Pearl Primary School and Al Muna Primary School. "We have chosen Wates and Al Fara'a to carry out this project in view of the wide expertise it has in the field of special construction in the education sector and the deep knowledge that Al Fara'a has in the local market," said Sami Asad, the chief operating officer of Aldar.

Jim Harvey, the managing director of Aldar Academies, said: "Aldar works very closely with both the Abu Dhabi Education Council and the Urban Planning Council to develop and operate schools that provide a high standard of education to support the community needs of Abu Dhabi in the future." In addition to the British curriculum, the school will also include courses on personal social health, citizenship education, Arabic and Islamic studies.

Recently, the Government closed six villas schools in the capital. Many students will now have to travel to the replacement school, in Bani Yas. [e-mail]