DUBAI — Ten days of extra holidays have thrown academic time-tables out of gear in Asian schools. Anxious to cram in lessons, the schools are now planning to seek permission from education zones to run extra classes during the winter break or advance holidays, not due until mid-December.
Some Indian schools have even scheduled ‘extra classes’ for senior students on Saturdays. “We had a very long summer break this year. Also, there was lesser work hours during Ramadan, and Eid holidays,” notes Rashmi Nandkeolyar, Principal of Delhi Private School, Dubai.
“There is no chance of us completing the syllabus without extra classes,” she adds. The school is planning to request Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) to permit its Grade X and Grade XII students to work a few extra hours during the winter break.
The KHDA told Khaleej Times that schools can function on Saturdays, subject to parents’ approval. It, however, gave the thumbs down to work during the winter break if the academic calendar has been approved.
Sharjah Education Zone attributed the predicament of the schools to the lack of coordination between different education departments.
Heads of schools worry that besides the nine-day Eid break, they would work only for eight days in December. This year, Asian schools are believed to work at least 10 days less than in the previous years. “The number of working days is less this year as the second Eid, the UAE National Day and the winter break are all falling in the same month. That leaves us with just eight working days during December,” observes Ashok Kumar, CEO and Principal of Indian High School. “If we cannot work in the winter holidays, we will have to work on Saturdays.”
His Highness Shaikh Rashid Al Maktoum Pakistan School, Dubai had asked the authorities to allow the school to close for winter earlier than usual, so that they do not have to take a break again for other federal holidays, which fall in the first week of December.
Fawziya Hassan, Director of Sharjah Education Zone, attributed this problem “to the lack of coordination among departments of General Education, Syllabus and Examinations in the Ministry of Education,” and recommended early consideration of unscheduled holidays.
“Rescheduling classes and specifying further timings as per syllabus gaps may serve as a way out of the delay. Reducing break timings and morning assembly will be effective. However, I am not for students coming to school on weekly off days as this adds to their burdens and needs the ministry’s permission,” she adds.
Mohammed Darwish, Chief of Licensing and Partner Relations, at KHDA says, “Before the beginning of the academic year, schools are required to submit an academic calendar to KHDA. Once it is approved by KHDA and the academic year starts, then no changes in the calendar can be made from that point on.”
He, however, adds that schools could operate on Saturdays provided the parents had no objection.
Preeti Kannan and
Ahmed Shaaban