Our Correspondent
Two new affordable Dubai schools located in Al Barsha and Mirdif areas have been launched under the Dubai Schools initiative by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council.
They will be run by private sector operator Taaleem, one of the country’s top education providers. The schools, which propose a fee of AED 29,900 – 36155 per annum, received more than 2,000 applications a day after the government announced the launch on March 8.
The two schools will have an enrolment capacity of 800 students from pre-school to Grade 4 and will follow an American curriculum. They will open on August 29 in the next academic year.
The ‘Dubai Schools’ project provides an innovative school model that offers high-quality education at an affordable cost. While preparing students for the requirements of the future job market, the new school model also seeks to deepen their Emirati, Arab and Muslim identity.
Emphasizing that that developing human capital is key to shaping a bright future for the nation and its citizens, Sheikh Hamdan said: “The ‘Dubai Schools’ initiative represents a new phase in our long-term education plan created to support the sustainability of our development journey.”
Sheikh Hamdan announced the project at a meeting of The Executive Council at the Dubai Police Academy in the presence of H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and First Deputy Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai.
An agreement between Dubai Government and Taaleem Company to operate ‘Dubai Schools’ was signed in the presence of Sheikh Hamdan. The agreement creates the framework for a public-private sector partnership to operate schools under the new initiative. He also approved the formation of the Supervisory Steering Committee of ‘Dubai Schools’ chaired by a representative of the Secretariat General of The Executive Council. Members of the Committee will include representatives of the Department of Finance, Knowledge Fund Establishment and Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).
Emirati students in Dubai will have priority for admission in Dubai Schools and they can avail scholarships of up to 100%, on the basis of merit.
