Parents of Filipino students in private schools in the United Arab Emirates are hard-pressed to find an alternative school to transfer their children. The UAE has recently ordered the closure of six schools in Abu Dhabi City over health and safety risks, said a report by the Khaleej Times last week. The alleged violations of the schools include overcrowding, failure to follow acceptable maintenance procedures, unsatisfactory fire and emergency response capacity, electrical hazards, structural instability, unlicensed construction, unsanitary conditions as well as lack of spaces for parking, pickup and drop-off, the report said. The closure will displace 2,291students from the Azhar Palestine School, Al Sahaba Private School and Kindergarten, Al Mashreq Private School, Cultural Private School, Al–Sahel (The Coast) Private School and Pioneers International Private School. Of the six schools, only Pioneers International offers the Philippine curriculum. The rest offer the UAE Ministry of Education curriculum. Daniel Sistona, principal of the Pioneers International, said the Abu Dhabu City government wants the school to widen its corridor and staircase and expand its clinic. “I am worried where I will transfer my kids,” the report quoted Filipino Leila Quiambao, whose children are in grades 7 and 9 at Pioneers International. Two other schools in the UAE offer the Philippine curriculum, but are already running at full capacity. Yousuf Al-Seryani, education advisor to ADEC Director General Dr .Al Khaili, said the move is a “positive step” for Filipino students because the English-medium school will give Filipino students higher quality education. The Khaleej Times report likewise said Abu Dhabi faces a private-school shortage, especially those offering Indian and Philippine curricula.
