A lot of expatriates coming to live and work in UAE prefer to take their entire family with them. This is perfectly natural, if you plan to live in Dubai or any other emirate for a long time. After securing visas for your family, you have to pay special attention to choosing a school for your child or children. This is an important matter that should be arranged well in advance. You have to take into account the school system in Dubai, its current situation, some legal requirements and other factors.
There are two types of schools in Dubai – state schools sponsored by the government and private schools. There are different types of private schools in the emirate. Most of them are international and have English as the main language of instruction. There are also British and American schools as well. Most expatriates coming to live in Dubai enroll their children in the private educational institutions. Generally, the choice of international schools is quite large due to the great number of immigrants from all over the world. You can choose from many nurseries, primary and secondary schools.
The private education in Dubai is expensive. The fees vary from one school to another, but they are usually high. Due to the recent economic downturn, the government had plans to ban the further increase in existing fees. However, some international schools threatened to close down. As a result, there are not any legal changes introduced. Still, you might find that some of the schools have lowered their fees or have made it easier for parents to make the installments due to the harsher economic situation.
Generally, the demand for spots in the international schools is high and the choices are plentiful. Hence, it is best for you to start making your research in advance, so that you can secure a place for your child. There are two important legal requirements that you have to take into account when choosing a school in Dubai. Firstly, you cannot enroll your child for the present school year if you have moved to the emirate after the May 1st. This is perfectly normal since the school year everywhere in the Northern hemisphere ends at the end of May or June. More importantly, you have to take into account the fact that it will not be possible for your child to change schools during the school year. In order to do this, you will need to obtain a special permission document from the Ministry of Education. Such permission is granted only in special circumstances.
Choosing a school in Dubai is just like selecting a school at home. You have to look at the curriculum it offers and the prospects it can provide to your child. It is essential for you to evaluate the standards of the school as well as the achievement record of its students to determine whether the quality of teaching is good. You are highly recommended to obtain references from other parents before choosing a school. It is essential for you and your child to visit a number of schools before making a final choice.
