Some parents are facing a crisis in registering their children in some private schools for the 2023/2024 academic year. They have been placed in waiting lists, after being told that the capacity in these schools are limited and the registration process is limited by some regulations, reports Al- Rai daily. According to an official source in the General Administration of Private Education, some private schools already have high student densities, while others seek to maintain the quality and distinction of their educational system by organizing admission tests for new students. In both cases, the administration cannot oblige these schools to register students, as they have special regulations and conditions that determine the admission process.
The source said, “The Ministry of Education has set the density ceiling in each educational system. Any transgression in this regard is not permitted and is considered a violation that is recorded on the school, for which legal measures are taken.”. He explained that the ministry excluded some schools from the density ceiling during the last academic year due to the fact that no new schools were opened during the COVID-19 crisis, including Arab and model schools.
In Arab schools, there are more than 42 students in one class, and in model schools, there are more than 28 students in one class. This situation is exceptional due to the lack of investment in this system. The educational systems are many and varied. Parents can register in other schools despite the difference in their tuition fees.
Schools are not obligated to register old students who fall behind the deadline set for the end of registration. A student is not considered registered if he does not pay the registration fees for the next academic year. All schools set their registration dates and publish them either by text messages, e-mails, or by posting bulletins at their entrances. The source attributed the apology of some schools for the non-registration of students to the severe shortage of human cadres working in them, including cleaning workers and educational and administrative bodies. In this regard, President of the Foreign Schools Union Nora Al-Ghanim affirmed that the reasons for this are many and varied, including the presence of great pressure.
Adhere
She said these schools are closed because of student densities, or because schools adhere to a specific number of students per class, or are unable to open additional classes due to a shortage of teachers or the small spatial capacity of the school itself. Al-Ghanim stressed that these schools cannot have overcrowded classrooms; otherwise they will lose the recognition of the international oversight bodies. She explained that, “The solution lies with the responsible government agencies, including the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Education, in granting distinguished private schools, regardless of their educational system, whether it is typical Arab or foreign, to approve expansion.
This is better than granting new licenses to other schools that may take time to prove their excellence and the quality of their educational system. Schools do not prevent students from getting admitted if they were able to accept them. However, each school has special circumstances that prevent it from doing so. The elements of school success lie not only in a good teacher or curriculum and good management, but also in other factors that contribute to success, including the number of students in the class. A class that has 20 to 25 students is not the same as one with 40 to 45 students. The educational quality will certainly differ, especially with the significant increase in student demand for private schools in recent years.” Furthermore, Al-Ghanim explained that investing in education has become repellent instead of being attractive to many investors.
This is because many obstacles and decisions are placed before them, making them ponder many times about investing in this field or in another field that brings a greater return. Investment in education, if it does not stem from an educational thought, affects the general social interest over private commercial interest, and the school will not be as distinguished as it will be. Some distinguished foreign schools have set conditions for accepting students, including passing a placement test in order to maintain the quality of their educational system in compliance with the standards and controls approved by international bodies. Some cannot accept an additional number that exceeds their capacity due to their commitment to a specific number of students per semester.
Any increase in this number is unacceptable and damages the reputation of its educational system. In addition, an educational source stressed the necessity of facilitating government procedures regarding the issuance of licenses and granting the necessary approvals for the vertical and horizontal expansion of distinguished private schools, especially in residential areas that suffer from a small number of schools. He highlighted that there is a great demand from Kuwaiti students to enroll in private schools.
Source- Arab Times.
