DUBAI // Parents and former teachers at a Pakistani school in Dubai have voiced concerns over declining standards, which they say are caused by staffing problems.
Raja Asim Fayaz, a father of two pupils at Sheikh Rashid Al Maktoum Pakistani School, said he had never seen such a rapid fall in the standard of education since new management took over in the past year.
“I am very much worried about the situation,” said Mr Fayaz, who has sons aged eight and 10.
He said since the new term started in January there has been no major educational activity, he said.
“There is no homework, no classwork,” he said. “I am so disappointed now that I am just waiting for March when the academic year will finish and then I will transfer them to another school.
“We cannot take the risk of our children’s future at the cost of internal politics.”
According to a former teacher at the school, there are more than a dozen staff members who claim they were unlawfully fired by new school principal, Dr Akhtar Waqqas.
Dr Jawaid Iqbal, who worked as a coordinator and whose employment was terminated in September without notice, said the principal expelled more than 15 staff, most of them teachers.
Mr Fayaz said he could not comment on why those teachers were fired, but he described their treatment as “simply unacceptable”.
Dr Waqqas declined to comment on the matter.
The Pakistani Consulate in Dubai said that hiring and firing in any institution is governed by the terms and conditions of employment contracts.
“Schools in Dubai are governed by the rules and regulations of Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) Dubai Government. Should any former employees have grievances, they can resort to KHDA and other forums,” it said.
“There are no dedicated teachers in any class, so you can imagine how children are suffering because of these internal politics,” another parent, S M, said.
School infrastructure had improved during the year, but the quality of education was in decline, he said.
“Any construction agent can build a good building. But this is not what we want from school. We need an experienced educationist who can improve the quality of education,” said the father of three children who have been pupils at the school for four years.
Like Mr Fayaz, S M said that he will transfer his children to another private school if the situation at Sheikh Rashid Al Maktoum school continued.
“We wanted to educate them in a Pakistani school so that they learn national values, but if the school is not ready to improve its system then we cannot take risk of destroying the future of our children,” he said.
akhaishgi@thenational.ae