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19 March 2024

Abu Dhabi shuts 4 more ‘villa schools’

Published
By Staff

The Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) shut down four villa schools as part of a plan to re-locate all students into purposely built school buildings.

The schools closed are Al Fajr English International School, Gulf Buds Private School, Salah Uddin Private School and the Philippine National School.

The closure order was issued at the beginning of the academic year 2013-2014, to allow parents enough time to enroll their children in another schools. Adec confirms that all students have been suitably relocated.

Adec had sent letters, e-mails and SMS’s to parents of students via their schools regarding the closures in order to take necessary action and complete registration process for their children.

This in line with Abu Dhabi government’s plan to shut down all villa schools in the emirate by the summer of 2015.

The initiative managed by Adec to help encourage private schools to operate in purpose-built schools which are consistent with quality and safety standards.

Hamad Al Dhaheri, executive director of Adec’s Private Schools and Quality Assurance Sector, said that providing Abu Dhabi students with equal opportunities to education and promoting a healthy and safe school environment is one of Adec’s priorities.

It has taken Adec five years to slowly phase out villa schools, which totalled at 72 in 2009.

Now, 18 more villa schools are left to shut down.

Of these, six are working towards shifting to new buildings after they obtained necessary approvals from government bodies.

Four villa schools are now working to obtain necessary approvals to start construction and eight are due to close by the end of the 2014-2015 academic school year.

The Abu Dhabi Private Schools Guide may be accessed through “iADEC” app or through the following website (https://www.adec.ac.ae/ar/parents/parentsguide/pages/schoolsfinder.aspx) that contains details on schools curricula, location, phone numbers, etc.