I can’t be the only parent to notice the mass-emptying out of schools across the UAE this week.
It’s obvious at drop-off when some classes are now almost half their size; noticeable in the fewer cars idling at the school gates at pick-up; and apparent in the empty chairs at the end-of-year assemblies.
Is it the end of term, already?
Well, no, actually it isn’t, although you’d be forgiven for thinking the academic year was done and dusted, judging by the number of parents and children who have already clocked off and checked out.
A brief scroll through the frankly ridiculous number of school WhatsApp group chats I’m in (10, at last count, for my three children), revealed that it comes as quite a surprise to many parents that the school term doesn’t end simply because they or their children are bored, too hot or simply “over it”, as one mother put it to me last week.
If my household gave things up based on how “over it” my children were, we would have long banished homework, broccoli, piano practice, football, reading, teeth-cleaning and going to bed (though, thankfully, not Bluey, which is a relief because I do enjoy that show).
For some parents, the recent Eid Al Adha coming as close as it did this year to the end of term, signalled the end of the school year. When the long Eid break finished, there were still a full two and a half weeks before term actually finished, but many parents didn’t return, either to the UAE or their children to school.
“It’s too hot,” is one frequent reply I hear from parents who take their children out of school early.
Well, it gets hot every year, and this year it’s been pretty warm since May, so perhaps we should just end the term then? April can also sometimes get a little toasty; maybe we should do away with schooling during the hotter months altogether.
Let’s see, that would mean school from November to April (not factoring in the mid-term and Christmas breaks), and the creation of one giant summer holiday from May to October like some Pangaea supercontinent of academia. Someone book me in for a loan appointment at the bank to cover the summer camp fees.
Flights are another favourite argument for leaving before term has finished.
“We want to leave before the end-of-term chaos at the airport,” I’m told by mums and dads who’ve had their suitcases packed since mid-April. To which I have a somewhat controversial answer: "You know you don’t have to leave on the Friday, Saturday or Sunday immediately after term ends, right?"
In fact, I hear there are flights out of the UAE to thousands of global destinations on the Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday after. And the days after that, meaning you can jet off without sacrificing any educational time.
Of course, it’s down to individual parenting style as to how relaxed you are about your child’s schooling.
I, for example, am a parent who will wring every single last fil out of the education that I spend a lot of money on. School extracurricular activities? Sign me up for every single one of them. School uniforms? Cared for (and patched up) well enough to be handed down from eldest to youngest to minimise additional expenditure. The school day? I’m at the gate ready for it to open at exactly 7.15am and not a fraction before 3pm to collect them.
Why do I care what other parents do, you ask? Well, generally speaking, I don’t. Your child’s education is your responsibility and I have enough on my plate (those 10 school chats, remember?) to be worrying about other children’s GSCE results.
However, when the early leavers start congregating on the group chats to complain that school events are not being tailored around their decision to leave before the end of term, then it inadvertently becomes my business.
Here are some of the real-life messages from my chats from parents annoyed that school term doesn’t end when they feel like it should.
“Let’s ask the school to put the graduation ceremony in June before everybody leaves for travel. Why do they schedule it for the last days?” Hmm, a tricky one. Perhaps because school is open until July and the world doesn’t revolve around your holiday plans?
“We are travelling back home for Eid and not returning. The ceremony should be earlier so everyone can attend.” Here’s the thing about graduations, they mark the end of the academic year, hence they are held at the end of the term.
“We are sad we are going to miss the farewell party.” Well, that's your choice, surely.
“It’s only the end of year; the kids don’t do anything anyway.” This is another favourite justification of the early school leaver. Admittedly, yes, the last two or three days of the summer term are when things wind down and the children can relax and enjoy an in-class movie day or party. But – although it’s been quite a few years since I was a student – I still haven’t forgotten how much fun these days were.
That delicious feeling of things ending and new beginnings is one you remember well into adulthood, making the end of term as important and memorable a part of the school experience as homework and friendships formed.
Having said all that, ultimately my biggest question to early-leaver parents is the one that puzzles me the most: isn't the eight-week summer holiday long enough for you?
