Emirates Today monitored school complaints that were repeated by students in private schools in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi during the first month of study, on social networking sites and live broadcasting programs, in addition to parent groups on WhatsApp.

Complaints included poor school uniforms, high prices, and bullying of children in classrooms and on school buses.

On the other hand, the Department of Education and Knowledge «in the regulation of private schools», the need for private schools to obtain the approval of the Department of school fees, fees for textbooks, uniforms and transportation.

She noted that a committee should be formed to look into complaints against the school and its method of work, and reach decisions to resolve it in accordance with school policies.

In detail, parents of students in private schools repeated complaints during the first month of the current school year, including: High prices of school uniforms compared to raw materials made of them, pointing out that the price of trousers and two shirts, in addition to pants and sports shirt, ranges between 400 and 450 dirhams, while not The fair price is more than 150 dirhams, pointing out that the fabric made of the costume quickly changes color with its use, and does not bear the child's consumption, prompting them to buy at least three sets of their children, in addition to a sports kit.

The families of students: Mohammed Yasser, Mustafa Zahran, and Najwan Massad, that the problem of school uniforms not only in the high prices, but show the low quality, as a result of manufacturing poor raw materials, in order to increase the profit margin, in addition to the lack of option to buy from abroad. Schools are obliging parents to buy it from their outlets, because of the school logo printed on it, and they also choose to dress overlapping colors that are difficult to be found in shops.

Parents of students expressed their dissatisfaction with the phenomenon of overcharging school buses.

The mother of four students, Nazareth Ali, that the fees of her children start in the private school of 32 thousand dirhams other than uniforms and books, and that transportation alone costs more than 5000 dirhams per student. However, buses are crowded with students and are always delayed during the return trip, due to the different areas of student accommodation, in addition to frequent quarrels.

She was supported by Al-Rai and Jaida Farouk, pointing out that her daughter's school is asking for 6000 dirhams for the bus, and refuses to participate in one trip for half of the fees.He pointed out that she offered the school to deliver her child in the morning and return in the school bus, but the school stuck to pay the full fees.

Verbal violence among students has been one of the most prominent complaints since the beginning of the school year, with students asserting that "it has become a widespread phenomenon in schools, a matter that needs rapid intervention, especially as school administrations do not take any deterrent attitude towards them."

The mother of a third-grade student, Mayada Hassan, said that her daughter was subjected to verbal violence in the first week of study from her classmates, where she was mocked because of a wound in her head, while the teacher did not take any reaction with the students to protect her daughter, which resulted in the child's feeling of not Wanting to go to school.

Parents said that their children are subjected to verbal violence from older students, which included insulting names of animals and ridicule, and underestimated them, pointing out that school procedures do not prevent the recurrence of this violence, always due to the daily bickering among students.

On the other hand, the Department of Education and Knowledge confirmed that the school and its principal guarantee the right of students not to be abused and neglected, and the school principal agrees to assume the role of guardian for all students while they are under the auspices of the school, and therefore bear the consequences of this role.

The Department stressed that private schools are required to obtain approval for school fees, which include tuition fees, book fees, uniforms and transportation, and that the approval should include payment schedules and payment procedures, before they are announced and initiated.

The Department requested the private schools to form a permanent complaints committee, which will consider complaints against them, or dealing with their method of work, in order to reach decisions to resolve them in accordance with the policies of the school.

200% canteen profits

Parents of students in private schools called for a review of the prices and content of meals, and provide them at reasonable prices, in order to reduce the financial burdens of the guardian, pointing out that the bottle of juice sold for one dirham and half dirham in groceries, while the price in the school cafeteria to five dirhams , A small water bottle is priced four dirhams, croissants five dirhams. They described it as "exaggerated prices, with a profit margin of up to 200%." The Emirates Today monitored another complaint about students not receiving books, schools filming lessons and distributing papers to students until the provision of textbooks, while others demanded students to print lessons from the school site until they receive the missing books. Parents, especially in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, also told Emirates Today that their children's schools have increased their tuition fees this year, and have informed them that the Department of Education and Knowledge has agreed, while the Department has not announced its agreement to increase fees.

• AED 400 average school uniform price.

«Education and Knowledge»:

• «The principal is the guardian of all students while they are under the auspices of the school».