Partial shutdown of Sharjah school to affect 1,100 students

A view of the Al Maarifa International Private School in Al Azrah area in Sharjah.-Photo by M.Sajjad/Khaleej Times

A total of 1,100 students will now have to look for new schools, after Al Maarifa International Private School in Sharjah announced it is shutting down its Ministerial curriculum section, due to losses.
The school includes three sections including American, British and Ministerial curriculums, of which the latter from kindergarten to Grade 12 - located in Al Izra - will shut down. The school management, in coordination with the Ministry of Education (MoE), decided to close down the school effective from the next academic year.
Khaleej Times obtained a copy of the notices distributed by the school to parents, notifying them about the closing and intimating them to find new schools to their children, while settling the final fees amounts and receive the transfer certificates to other schools.
The parents have been left confused and worried, after getting what they say is short notice about the school's closure, leaving them with little time to find other schools for their children. They have urged the school management to reconsider the decision.
Osama Mohamed said his son studying at Al Maarifa's Ministerial Curriculum section was shocked to receive the notice. "We are supposed to receive such notices before the end of the second term, in order to able to find seats in other schools," he said.
Hythem Mohammed, a parent of two students, said: "We have been taken by surprise, especially as the administration assured us the school would remain open for the next year. We just got to know about the closing last week. How can we find other alternatives at the same expense and educational standards? The majority of schools have already closed registration for the next academic year."
Jamal Ismail, another parent, said it was a big shock for him when he received the closure letter from the security guard, after there was no official to talk to about the issue. "I really liked the school, its management, distinguished staff and the high level of educational services. I never thought of transferring my children to another school."
Speaking to Khaleej Times, Mustafa Al Musa, principal of Al Maarifa, said the management decided to shut down the school after incurring losses of Dh12 million during the current academic year. The school shifted its Ministerial Curriculum section last year, to new premises in Al Izra and had to pay Dh5 million in rent. The amount and other expenses like staff salaries and utilities were not covered by the student fees, he said.
"We notified the parents and are also working to help them enroll their children in other schools. Many local schools are ready to accept a large number of students and we are now working on referring parents and teaching staff to them," Al Musa added.
Al Maarifa started in 1986. "Our school, which maintains great respect for the various cultural backgrounds comprising the school community, also emphasises the high expectations of its teachers and students. It prepares them with critical thinking skills and in making studied decisions, in a realistic social context and a rapidly changing world," Al Musa said. Officials at the Sharjah Education Zone (SEZ) said that the school already submitted its decision to MoE, which approved it and instructed the management to notify parents to give them enough time to find alternatives for their children.
afkarali@khaleejtimes.com