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Hi Everyone
I am new to Dubai & from the UK. My kids are going to Wellington Academy - Silicon Oasis & I have discovered that a number of the FS teachers (yes teachers - not assistants) are not in any way qualified to teach. No degree at all, no teaching qualifications or teaching experience. I want to know if this is common in schools in Dubai before taking my kids out of this school. Does anyone else know about other schools as if they are all this bad there is no point moving. One teachers was a parent 2 years ago, an assistant last year & a teacher this year with no quals at all & she isn't the only one - shocking!!. I may as well save the fees & educate them myself. It seems as though they have pulled people off the street & call them teachers. The head of FS assured us all that all their teachers were degree qualified with 3 years minimum experience but I now know this not to be the case. In addition to this, the 'specialist' teacher teaching music & swimming has zero qualifications in swimming or music ... nor a degree of any kind. She is not qualified in any musical instrument or in any theory.
My biggest fear in moving here was my kids education & despite being given assurances it seems as though things are worse than I thought. Anyone got any advice or schools that are serious about their teachers abilities & qualifications?. Please help.
Thanks Amie

RashedMohamed , I assume you work for GEMS?. You have not answered my concerns?. I have looked on the school website & it says all teachers are fully qualified etc. etc. This is simply a lie & not at all true. I could list on here (although I don't think it would be fair)some of the teachers who do not have a degree or any formal teaching qualifications whatsoever or any prior teaching experience. Yes - the facilities are wonderful - no question but very 'Dubai' - glitz on the outside but when you scratch the surface it seems as though there is no substance behind it all. I am sure some of the teachers are great & are actually qualified.

My question is ......is this common in Dubai? & if I move my kids to another school would I be in the same situation with non teachers - teaching?.... or is this problem exclusive to Silicon oasis or the GEMS group of schools. Can anyone shed any light on this?

AmieInDubai wrote:Hi Everyone
I am new to Dubai & from the UK. My kids are going to Wellington Academy - Silicon Oasis & I have discovered that a number of the FS teachers (yes teachers - not assistants) are not in any way qualified to teach. No degree at all, no teaching qualifications or teaching experience. I want to know if this is common in schools in Dubai before taking my kids out of this school. Does anyone else know about other schools as if they are all this bad there is no point moving. One teachers was a parent 2 years ago, an assistant last year & a teacher this year with no quals at all & she isn't the only one - shocking!!. I may as well save the fees & educate them myself. It seems as though they have pulled people off the street & call them teachers. The head of FS assured us all that all their teachers were degree qualified with 3 years minimum experience but I now know this not to be the case. In addition to this, the 'specialist' teacher teaching music & swimming has zero qualifications in swimming or music ... nor a degree of any kind. She is not qualified in any musical instrument or in any theory.
My biggest fear in moving here was my kids education & despite being given assurances it seems as though things are worse than I thought. Anyone got any advice or schools that are serious about their teachers abilities & qualifications?. Please help.
Thanks Amie

This is not normal, check other school based nurseries a wealth of qualifications and experience out there

--- Oct 29, 2013 ---

AmieInDubai wrote:RashedMohamed , I assume you work for GEMS?. You have not answered my concerns?. I have looked on the school website & it says all teachers are fully qualified etc. etc. This is simply a lie & not at all true. I could list on here (although I don't think it would be fair)some of the teachers who do not have a degree or any formal teaching qualifications whatsoever or any prior teaching experience. Yes - the facilities are wonderful - no question but very 'Dubai' - glitz on the outside but when you scratch the surface it seems as though there is no substance behind it all. I am sure some of the teachers are great & are actually qualified.

My question is ......is this common in Dubai? & if I move my kids to another school would I be in the same situation with non teachers - teaching?.... or is this problem exclusive to Silicon oasis or the GEMS group of schools. Can anyone shed any light on this?

It is common in GEMS but silicon Oasis seems to be the worst

I have heard about this before too that some of the universities are not affiliated with the respective countries from which they claimed to be affiliated from. Is it true?

I have been living in and teaching here 12 years thus far. I am degree qualified and teach the Early Years. It is very common. Even the best schools do it in the Early Learning years and will lie through the teeth about it. An occasional school will also have an unqualified teacher in the Primary years. An unqualified Early learning teacher wouldn't necessarily put me off though, if they had been teaching a while and had great mentoring and PD opportunities. There are simply not enough early year teachers, given the ratio needed for most classrooms. An unqualified Primary teacher though - steer well clear! Mainly because this says a lot about the culture of the school. Why can they not find qualified primary teachers??? An unqualified music teacher - in which way? no teaching degree but an accomplished musician who has passed all the theory and practical exams, then this is acceptable to me.