ABU DHABI // Britons in the capital should not rely on government funding for new schools, the British ambassador said as fund-raising began to build a school and renovate another.
An appeal to raise money for a Dh465 million (US$127m) British school, to be built near Khalifa City, was started this week at the British Embassy.
At the same time, The British School – Al Khubairat started its Ruby Building Fund, named after the school’s 40th anniversary, to raise up to Dh100m to replace old classrooms.
Senior officials in the Abu Dhabi Government have pledged financial support for the new school, but the British ambassador to the UAE, Edward Oakden, said: “It’s important to show to the Government the British community is doing its half and taking the lead.”
An estimated 10,000 Britons live in Abu Dhabi.
Mr Oakden said that if companies were to attract “quality British expatriates”, it was vital that more school places were provided. There is an acute shortage of school places in Abu Dhabi, especially at the primary level.
“One keeps being told this or that company cannot get that person or cannot come here at all because they cannot get school places,” Mr Oakden said.
Nick Cochrane-Dyet, chairman of the new school’s committee, said the project needed funds from the British community as well as the Government to make it sustainable.
“If the community is doing its bit, the community is determined the project is going to work,” Mr Cochrane-Dyet said.
The school, due to open in 2010, will ultimately have 2,000 pupils. It will start with a kindergarten and primary school before expanding to include a secondary school that will take pupils aged up to 18.
Organisers are hoping for 100,000 square meters of land with space for staff accommodation and sport facilities.
Donations, grants and debentures, which last 15 years and guarantee school places in return for a payment of Dh1 million, will help finance the school.
Mr Cochrane-Dyet said paying for debentures could make sense for companies. “If it’s the difference between getting a first-class engineer or not, most companies would be happy to pay.”
Paul Coackley, principal of The British School – Al Khubairat, which has 1,600 pupils, said that his school had made a huge contribution to Abu Dhabi.
“The British School has set the standard for education in Abu Dhabi and that benchmark is important as new schools come into Abu Dhabi,” he said.
Jo Eglington, the development manager at the school, said the buildings to be replaced were built in 1980 when the school moved to its current site.
The plan is to replace the primary school buildings with 18 new classrooms, two IT suites, music rooms, a library, a drama studio, a 25m swimming pool, an assembly hall, a science laboratory and sport areas.