ABU DHABI // The annual growth rate of enrolment across public schools in the emirate is nearly double that of private schools, according to Abu Dhabi Education Council.
“There is an increase from time to time, maybe about 10 per cent every year,” said Humaid Abdulla, Adec’s student services division manager.
“A lot of families come to Abu Dhabi, a few are migrating from private to public schools and there is a lot of growth happening with the national communities outside the island, so there is growth.”
The increasing enrolment is most evident in the emirate’s newest communities on the outskirts of the city, such as Al Shamkha, Al Bahia, Al Shahama and Al Falah, where few private schools are in operation and where many Emirati families have moved into new housing.
“There are a lot of residential areas outside the island where there are no private schools or enough private schools,” said Mr Abdulla. “So this is considered a migration from private to government.”
Mr Abdulla said some Emirati pupils enrolled in private schools have also had to transfer to public schools to continue their education, often because families have moved to a new area where the new private schools do not yet offer all grade levels.
“Sometimes they are in a school where it is only up to Grade 5 or 6 and they have to move to another school, and it is very difficult to stay in the same system,” said Mr Abdulla.
There are currently about 135,000 children at Adec’s 250 public schools, from kindergarten to Grade 12, said Mr Abdulla.
By comparison, the student population at the emirate’s 186 private schools is about 236,000, according to Adec’s Private Schools and Quality Assurance Sector Annual Report 2015-2016. That means 64.5 per cent of school-age children in the emirate attend private schools.
The 10 per cent growth in public school enrolment cited by Mr Abdulla exceeds the annual increase of the Emirati student population at private schools by 4 per cent. In private schools, national student population is “growing at a compound annual growth rate of 6 per cent”, according to the private schools report.
Adec on Wednesday announced a new enrolment system for prospective public school pupils that speeds up the registration process and eliminates waiting lists by automatically redirecting the child to the nearest public school with available places within the same catchment area.
“The system is designed to be more intelligent in providing available seats,” said Mr Abdulla. “If the capacity of that school is full, it will automatically divert (the student) to the nearest school as per the planning.”
Families have been encouraged to register students early, as the vacant seats are awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis. Class sizes are capped at 20 pupils for kindergarten, 25 pupils for Cycle 1 schools and 30 pupils for Cycle 2 and Cycle 3 schools.
“We have a capacity and we have a policy,” said Mohammed Al Dhaheri, executive director of Adec’s school operations. “We can’t put 31 students in a Grade 12 classroom, when the capacity is 30.”
Registration for Emirati pupils for the 2017-2018 academic year will be online and in schools from Sunday to Thursday, March 17.
Expatriate pupils wishing to enrol in a government school can do so online only from March 19 to March 23, if they meet Adec’s enrolment criteria for non-nationals and the school has not reached capacity.
The number of expatriate pupils in government schools cannot exceed 20 per cent of the total population. Registration is free for Emiratis and costs Dh6,000 for expatriates.
Children entering kindergarten 1 must be at least 4 years old by December 31. Children who are 5 by December 31 enter kindergarten 2, while children aged 6 by December 31 enter Grade 1.
For more information, visit www.adec.ac.ae or call 02 615 0000.
rpennington@thenational.ae