3 kindergartens shut down, 9 suspended

Dubai - The ministry of social affairs has permanently shut down three kindergartens in Dubai and the northern emirates in the first six months of the year for committing grave violations.
The licences of these were annulled, as well, while the permits of nine other nurseries were suspended for administrative mistakes. The latter were given a grace period of 90 days to amend their position.
Muza Al Shoomi, director of the children department at the ministry, said the three nurseries were involved in grave breaches, such as employing unlicensed workers, not having a manager or failing to provide proper premises. "The kids were handed over to their parents who were also permitted to claim their fees in full."
Staff inspectors have also issued warning letters against 25 nurseries for harming children, have no specific room for a nurse, and accepting above-age children, she added. "We received 31 complaints from parents in Dubai during the first half of the year, of which 24 were on disputes over fees withdrawal."
Some nurseries force parents to pay all fees in full before the beginning of the new academic year as is the case with some regular schools, but refuse to pay back the same when the parents wish to transfer their kids to another kindergarten, she explained.
"In such cases, the ministry instructs the kindergarten to pay back the fees in full, excluding the period the kids spend in the school," she underlined, urging nurseries to pay back the fees to avoid parental complaints, and hence later delay in licensing renewal procedures.
Al Shoomi stated that the ministry has also received six parental complaints about nurseries' lack of cleanliness. "A staff inspector is assigned to pay a surprise visit to the said kindergartens to check if the complaints were true or not."
The ministry has also received a complaint that a child was badly injured after falling on an unsafe floor, she said. "The nursery proved to have no surveillance cameras while the external courtyard was improper for playing."
Al Shoomi said the ministry has also annulled the licences of four other nurseries for failing to amend their position in the set grace period while five nurseries did not renew their licenses in due time. "However, we have licensed 133 new nurseries."
Most of the violations recorded were spotted in Dubai where 25 out of 187 registered nurseries here were issued warning letters for committing 45 violations. "
Meanwhile, ministry inspectors have checked 157 out of 430 kindergartens over the period from January to June this year. "The remaining 273 nurseries will be inspected during the second half of the year," she said.
ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com