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I find it difficult and incredible that expats can lower their standards of education when living in the country.

Please someone tell me why?

Should the Dubai Municipality start a qualification class at visa issuance time, and if the individual does not come up to the standard should they have their visa refused?

Unfortunately SPG it appears that universally standards in so many areas are lowered in order to accommodate those who don't have the skills or intellect and are unable to meet high standards to "qualify".

Schools in Dubai cater to ALL nationalities, as long as a parent can afford to pay the fees. I would feel so sad if I had a child who was going to school here to receive such low standards of education. I wonder what schools provide in the way of challenge to children who are over achievers or highly intelligent. Many expats realize that their children need to return to their home country for university because a degree from any university/college isn't going to go far outside the region.

Bora, Exactly my sentiments.

So the thickos will continue to breed and multiply?

What about subcontinent countries where there is not much money around. Are they just thick by tradition?

"Lowering" from????

Ambassador wrote:"Lowering" from????

Semi thick to dumb.

I think educational standards are slipping in the UK too. Every year we are told how 90 odd % of students achieved this and that and pass rates were increasing. Actually I think GCSE's and A levels are getting easier.
There is little emphasis on English grammar, it just doesn't seem to be important to be able to spell and punctuate correctly.

I think we are losing the plot with our schools with pupils being able to swear and misbehave in class. There was a discussion on Sky News this morning listing some of the problems teachers have faced recently. One woman teached was reported to have been raped in the classroom.
When I was at school we wouldn't have dared to look twice at the teachers and if i'd have been in trouble, I would have got into worse when I got home.
I don't think it does kids any harm at all to have a bit of respect for teachers. It surely must be easier to learn when in an organised and quiet class room.

I'm not sure about the UAE and expats. Once over I expect it was the cream that got jobs but now anyone can turn up.

Ambassador wrote:"Lowering" from????

Standards Ambassador, or if you so chose, requirements. Universallly certain standards/requirements are lowered to accommodate in many ways and in some cases it has to do with immigrants. I can tell you that in the US elementary classrooms are "delayed" because of immigrant children who can't speak/understand English hold up the learning process and teachers have to give extra attention to them to "explain" everything to them. The level of learning is lowered so as to give those children who can't keep up the chance to pass.

The children who have the comprehension skills to keep up, they have to sit and wait while other students are doing catch up. Obviously these kids who are getting special attention are inspired because they are constantly learning, while others become uninspired and disenchanted. Children of immigrants who cannot understand/read/write English should be put in one classroom and learn at their own pace and those who can learn at a faster pace be allowed to do so, especially here where you pay for education. I'm sure that is what is happening in Dubai with so many cultures where the children have a limited comprehension in all areas of the English language. In the UK and US where there is public education, paying for a child's education is an investment for a better education because private schools generally do have higher standards for the students to achieve a better education.

Its when the expat children go back "home" to continue their university/college education that they become highly challenged.

Bora, so well said in particular go back to their own country.

SPG has some very valid points also.

drewpeacock wrote:Bora, so well said in particular go back to their own country.

SPG has some very valid points also.

Thank you Drew. I think you are SPG think alike. I will point out that I never said "go back to their own country". Just put them in a school where the only language the children understand is the language that school applies to its education. When the child has mastered English then put them in an English speaking school. Easy peasy.

Going back some time my sister-in-law took a job in administration in an Indian school. One of the "benefits" was that her daughter could attend school. Now, my niece could only speak Arabic and some English. After a while when she spoke no one could understand her because she was mixing up all three languages and it came out a very foreign 4th language. I told my sister-in-law to remove her from the school because her language skills were getting screwed up!!! She took my advice and today my niece is fluent in Arabic and English, although she attends an Arabic speaking school.

Bora Bora wrote:
Going back some time my sister-in-law took a job in administration in an Indian school. One of the "benefits" was that her daughter could attend school. Now, my niece could only speak Arabic and some English. After a while when she spoke no one could understand her because she was mixing up all three languages and it came out a very foreign 4th language. I told my sister-in-law to remove her from the school because her language skills were getting screwed up!!! She took my advice and today my niece is fluent in Arabic and English, although she attends an Arabic speaking school.

I believe it is called 'Dinglish'...



Knight

Could be confused for Maadi

That's news to me...I always thought primary/secondary education here was was pretty alrit , depending on which curriculum you follow. It's the university education which needs to really up their standards.

Misery Called Life wrote:That's news to me...I always thought primary/secondary education here was was pretty alrit , depending on which curriculum you follow. It's the university education which needs to really up their standards.

So sweet magic word "curriculum". When I visited a few schools with so called "British curriculum" for my kid 6 years ago, I looked mainly at teachers. Most of them were wives of Indian clercks on husband visas at first and teachers only at second. Their salary were rather low, inspite of pretty big fees for tuition. In addition there were (and are) more than 35 students in classes.

At that time I understood that the education is only business in UAE more than in any other country, I had lived. As a result I left my family in my country, where education is free but knowledge, that it gives, is pretty solid.

P.S. I don't know about "other curriculum" like Indian for instance...

Welcome back RC. Funnily enough, I was wondering, just today, where you had disappeared to. I think it was spurred on by a discussion I had about Russian men always being accompanied by 'dolly' birds.
Anyway, that was slightly off topic. Sorry everybody.

Red Chief wrote:

Misery Called Life wrote:That's news to me...I always thought primary/secondary education here was was pretty alrit , depending on which curriculum you follow. It's the university education which needs to really up their standards.

So sweet magic word "curriculum". When I visited a few schools with so called "British curriculum" for my kid 6 years ago, I looked mainly at teachers. Most of them were wives of Indian clercks on husband visas at first and teachers only at second. Their salary were rather low, inspite of pretty big fees for tuition. In addition there were (and are) more than 35 students in classes.

At that time I understood that the education is only business in UAE more than in any other country, I had lived. As a result I left my family in my country, where education is free but knowledge, that it gives, is pretty solid.

P.S. I don't know about "other curriculum" like Indian for instance...

Welcome back Teddybear.

That is the greater sacrifice for children - being separated from family so that the child receives a better education. In your case you had a choice and your child came first. It seems that there is a high percentage of teacher turnover in Dubai, where more take the decision to leave, than are asked to leave or leave due to relocation.

Red Chief wrote:

Misery Called Life wrote:That's news to me...I always thought primary/secondary education here was was pretty alrit , depending on which curriculum you follow. It's the university education which needs to really up their standards.

So sweet magic word "curriculum". When I visited a few schools with so called "British curriculum" for my kid 6 years ago, I looked mainly at teachers. Most of them were wives of Indian clercks on husband visas at first and teachers only at second. Their salary were rather low, inspite of pretty big fees for tuition. In addition there were (and are) more than 35 students in classes.

At that time I understood that the education is only business in UAE more than in any other country, I had lived. As a result I left my family in my country, where education is free but knowledge, that it gives, is pretty solid.

P.S. I don't know about "other curriculum" like Indian for instance...

Well, once in a while RC hits the nail smack bang on the head and has done so on this occasion, mainstream private education in Dubai is a business first and a vocation last with most of the profits being greedily gathered into the coffers of GEMS, there are exceptions to the rule, for which you will pay an even bigger premium.

I don't think University education in the UAE is as bad as people believe, I do know that all the branch/Satellite universities in Dubai will provide degrees accredited by the UAE Ministry of Education and their local Councils and Authorities as well as the host University, i.e. a qualification gained at MIST, Masdar University of Science and Technology will also be accredited by MIT in the US, the same for RIT Dubai in Silicon Oasis as well as many others.

Dillon wrote:

Red Chief wrote:

Misery Called Life wrote:That's news to me...I always thought primary/secondary education here was was pretty alrit , depending on which curriculum you follow. It's the university education which needs to really up their standards.

So sweet magic word "curriculum". When I visited a few schools with so called "British curriculum" for my kid 6 years ago, I looked mainly at teachers. Most of them were wives of Indian clercks on husband visas at first and teachers only at second. Their salary were rather low, inspite of pretty big fees for tuition. In addition there were (and are) more than 35 students in classes.

At that time I understood that the education is only business in UAE more than in any other country, I had lived. As a result I left my family in my country, where education is free but knowledge, that it gives, is pretty solid.

P.S. I don't know about "other curriculum" like Indian for instance...

Well, once in a while RC hits the nail smack bang on the head and has done so on this occasion, mainstream private education in Dubai is a business first and a vocation last with most of the profits being greedily gathered into the coffers of GEMS, there are exceptions to the rule, for which you will pay an even bigger premium.

I don't think University education in the UAE is as bad as people believe, I do know that all the branch/Satellite universities in Dubai will provide degrees accredited by the UAE Ministry of Education and their local Councils and Authorities as well as the host University, i.e. a qualification gained at MIST, Masdar University of Science and Technology will also be accredited by MIT in the US, the same for RIT Dubai in Silicon Oasis as well as many others.

Mere accredition does'nt mean they follow the same standards Dillion. The papers are different, the teaching is different, the projects are different and the mode of correction is entirely different. While the syllabus might be the same as the host universities, the authors are different, cos retailers here have atough time stocking the prescribed books.
@RC all said and done most kids I knw who've graduated from the UAE secondry education system more often than not get admission into their university of choice, be it India, Canada, USA or whereevr. That said I think when it comes to secondry education here just go IB rit? Their standards I believe are fairly standard across the globe.

Misery Called Life wrote:

Dillon wrote:
Well, once in a while RC hits the nail smack bang on the head and has done so on this occasion, mainstream private education in Dubai is a business first and a vocation last with most of the profits being greedily gathered into the coffers of GEMS, there are exceptions to the rule, for which you will pay an even bigger premium.

I don't think University education in the UAE is as bad as people believe, I do know that all the branch/Satellite universities in Dubai will provide degrees accredited by the UAE Ministry of Education and their local Councils and Authorities as well as the host University, i.e. a qualification gained at MIST, Masdar University of Science and Technology will also be accredited by MIT in the US, the same for RIT Dubai in Silicon Oasis as well as many others.

Mere accredition does'nt mean they follow the same standards Dillion. The papers are different, the teaching is different, the projects are different and the mode of correction is entirely different. While the syllabus might be the same as the host universities, the authors are different, cos retailers here have atough time stocking the prescribed books.

@mystery, On the contrary, accreditation is EVERYTHING! It says that a qualification earned at RIT (Dubai) is as good as RIT in New York, the same for MIST and MIT in Massachusetts, and all the other named Universities here, Heriot Watt, UOWD etc, surely you’re not suggesting that institutions such as these would provide accreditation for a qualification inferior to one earned in the home Country? That kind of makes a mockery of some of the worlds best Educational Institutions doesn't it?

Misery Called Life wrote:@RC all said and done most kids I knw who've graduated from the UAE secondry education system more often than not get admission into their university of choice, be it India, Canada, USA or whereevr. That said I think when it comes to secondry education here just go IB rit? Their standards I believe are fairly standard across the globe.

It did not say anything but only about low ambitions of those kids and/or their parrents. I strongly doubt that any of your friends were accepted in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In contrast, I draw the line for my kid (or child ) pretty high.

As for India, a few months ago, I read in Gulf News about a new trend - wealthy Indian parents send their children to Dubai branches of elite Indian universities, because there are 1000 applicants for one seat in those universities in India but you have to pay only tuition fees regularly to have the same diploma in Dubai. That fact defenitelly speaks pretty loudly.

Another fact, that I noticed about UAE branches of some foreign uni, is rather poor set of faculties. As a rule it consists of business, finances and IT. I looked the programm of some institutions in the Knowledge Village and couldn't find Engeneering or Science in any of them.

Red Chief wrote:It did not say anything but only about low ambitions of those kids and/or their parrents. I strongly doubt that any of your friends were accepted in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In contrast, I draw the line for my kid (or child ) pretty high.

It's cute to see how involved and doting you are to your kid and I'd hate to be a party pooper, but don't you think the gloating ought to be reserved for AFTER ur kid get's into MIT, Harvards or whereever?

Yea ur right about parens sending their kids to universtities here. Big names always gather interest. But if you ask me unless these foreign universities up their standards, the fascination will soon end.

Misery Called Life wrote: but don't you think the gloating ought to be reserved for AFTER ur kid get's into MIT, Harvards or whereever?

Student (or Graduate ) you did not understand me. I am not an Englishman to be sarcastic without any reason. In Moscow I know the best schools and private tutors/professors, who CAN prepare the child to THESE institutions.
Looking at some pretty expensive Dubai's schools, I cannot say the same. Only mantra, I can hear in Dubai, is "English carriculum". Probably it's enough for DK, not for me.

spellcheckergirl wrote:that expats can lower their standards of education when living in the country.Please someone tell me why?Should the Dubai Municipality start a qualification class at visa issuance time, and if the individual does not come up to the standard should they have their visa refused

you are right , school in UAE are bullshit! pay $10k and get nowere in education

its all bullshit system there, better go study in the WEST