Marine school to open in Abu Dhabi

Amity International School will become the first in Abu Dhabi with a marine curriculum that will engage students in activities that explore the mysteries of the sea. - Photo by Nezar Balout

A marine school is something unheard of in the emirate, but next year that will no longer be the case. Amity International School (AIS), which opened last September in Bahya, Abu Dhabi, is in the process of establishing a marine centre and a marine profile.
"When it was setting up we told the school owner we want a marine school that will promote marine studies and activities for the students," said Eng. Hamed Al Dhaheri, Private Schools and Quality Assurance executive director at Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec).
"The school is now preparing a marine biology programme, and once it's submitted to Adec and approved by us, it will become the first school in the emirate with a marine curriculum," he added.
In the meantime, Al Dhaheri along with an Adec team visited AIS and its facilities earlier this week. The tour also included three other private schools in Abu Dhabi, all opened in September 2015.
Located right on the seashore, far from major roads and urban developments, AIS is ideally placed for studying marine life. According to Barbara Lubaczewska, AIS principal, during the early years of school, students will engage in fun projects and activities whilst exploring the mysteries of the sea through hands-on scientific enquiry, while secondary school pupils will study marine science, history and oceanography.
AIS is also establishing a boat house, with direct access to water, that will offer water sports activities. "Two of our students' parents are marine biology experts and they came to the school to give presentations on the subject. We are now planning to open a turtle hospital as well at the school," said Lubaczewska.
When completed in 2017, AIS will have a capacity for 2,000 students from KG1 to grade 12. For the time being, there are 930 children enrolled here, from KG1 to grade three.
With the population continuously rising in Abu Dhabi, Adec is facing increasing demand for school seats.
There are presently 236,800 students enrolled in 186 private schools across the emirate with an additional 17 new private schools under construction and expected to open within the next two school years, which will add about 24,000 new school seats.
In the 2015-2016 academic year, Adec has added 19,944 school seats, of which 16,044 have been allocated to 11 new private schools whereas 3,900 seats have been allocated across three existing schools.
silvia@khaleejtimes.com

Silvia Radan

silvia@khaleejtimes.com