Gulf News: How has education evolved in Dubai over the last few years?
Power: With the growth of Dubai, everything else has grown to compensate, including schools. Dubai now has over 200 schools, some of which are public, some private, and some for profit. A universal truth is that all parents want a solid education for their children and businesses can bank on that belief. Education has become a business in Dubai in order for schools to be able to grow fast enough to cater to the growing number of students.
Unfortunately, because of the fast growth, some schools have opened without desks and books, some without finished buildings and some have simply had to delay opening; a case of over-promising and under-delivering, perhaps. Having said that, teachers tend to be on the same page in that they want to offer the best possible education to their students, so business aside, it is the teachers who make magic happen in the classroom.
Gulf News: How important is private tuition in Dubai's education system?
Power: Given the transient nature of Dubai and that many students have often moved several times during their school life, private tuition is invaluable for filling in the foundations of education that may be overlooked when a student changes schools.
Gulf News: How does the education system here compare to that of other, maybe more mature, regions?
Power: It has made significant steps in recent years. The establishment of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) was designed to develop the education and human resource sectors and bring them on par with international standards and prevalent best practices. One of KHDA's remits is to supervise all educational services and institutions (such as schools, universities and training centres) within the free zones in Dubai, including appraisal and attestation.
As we are based at Knowledge Village, we are subject to the KHDA supervision and view it very much as an opportunity for continual improvement in educational excellence.
Gulf News: Why did you feel Dubai was the best location to start a private tutoring company?
Power: Dubai is going through an economic and population boom, so this is the time to implement a new business. After working in a school in Dubai for several years, I realised the need for tutoring. Students were missing some of the fundamentals because of large class sizes and frequent moving. Being a businessman at heart, I couldn't ignore the opportunity that was presenting itself.
Gulf News: Is this the beginning of a private tutoring sector in Dubai?
Power: Tutoring isn't a new profession, but we are aiming to put a business model around an already existing, informal service. We are looking to provide a consistent, quality and reliable service to students in need in Dubai. We want to professionalise tutoring to make it readily available to as many people as possible.
By Suzanne Fenton, Staff Reporter