With the launch of the "distance learning" measure, in the context of the precautionary measures decided by the state, to preserve the safety of our student children, many students' parents asked about the extent of the eligibility of private schools to collect the fees for the third semester.
And received to the "Emirates Today" questions from several parents about their financial obligations towards private schools and universities, especially for the groups affected by their entry during the current period.
For his part, Legal Adviser Dr. Youssef Al-Sharif answers by saying that many parents complain about communications from some private schools that require them to pay the remaining installments due to them and other schools claiming to obtain the approval of the educational authorities concerned to increase the fees that were approved by the parents at the beginning of the school year And frankly, this matter invites us to be surprised, especially since these claims are at this particular time.
Al-Sharif stressed that the spread of the Corona virus epidemic and the precautionary measures that it required led to a great impact on the economic aspect in most sectors of work in the state, which was reflected on the entry of individuals, pointing out that the generalization of "distance education" has been followed by financial burdens and obligations on parents And bear additional costs such as providing electronic devices to receive lessons according to the number of children studying, as well as subscribing to internet services that keep pace with operating how many of these devices have the same space, which varies from house to house and the number of its students.
On the other hand, these private schools and universities saved a lot of expenses that fall within the value of academic expenses that students did not benefit with the "distance education" system, such as operating expenses, transportation, auxiliary labor and other administrative jobs. There are schools that took advantage of this situation and reduced the number of teachers to reduce Burdens and this is fixed from the amount of legal advice that was received from us from teachers who were given open leave without pay.
He believed that from a justice standpoint, parents should be allowed not to pay any tuition fees for the third semester at the very least, and their burdens should be satisfied at the same time as their entry was negatively affected. Whoever has paid the full amounts, the premiums will be rolled over to him for the next year or returned to him.
He appealed to our rational state agencies concerned with the education system, whether the Ministry of Education or the education councils, the Knowledge Authority and the Ministry of Higher Education in issuing formal instructions to do so in order to alleviate the shoulders of parents in light of this grinding crisis, as this is their right.
And if the distance education continues in the future, the tuition fees will be re-evaluated, either for schools or universities, in proportion to the burdens of the service actually provided, so no such crisis or the application of advanced technology will cause some to be unlawfully enriched at the expense of some.