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29 March 2024

American school in Dubai violates KHDA rule yet again

Dubai American Scientific school. Photo by Patrick Castillo

Published
By Sneha May Francis

The Dubai American Scientific School (DASS) has further irked the education regulatory body, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) for dismissing students for a week to install security cameras.

Talking to Emirates 24|7, Abdulrahman Nassir, Executive Director of Customers Relations at KHDA said, “Dubai American Scientific School has further violated the terms of its suspended education permit by dismissing students for a week to install security cameras.

“To install security cameras, or dismiss students on a school day for any purpose, prior KHDA approval must be given.

“DASS did not seek approval for either of these actions.  The welfare of students is our main priority.  Through its current and previous actions, DASS has not prioritised the interests of its students.

“This has obliged us to take further punitive action against DASS.  We have yet to receive formal written communications from the school since the initial education permit suspension was imposed.”

Earlier, the KHDA had temporarily suspended the education permit of the school after a series of violations.

The school principal, Amy Waterson, was unavailable for comment while going to press.

The school, which has around 500 students, has been black-listed for manipulating the records of student registrations, teaching subjects without proper structure, taking no action against students for remaining absent without valid reason. There were also reports of disparity in school fees, poorly maintained buildings and undisciplined students.

The suspension was put in place in August.

“DASS was prohibited from accepting new students for the 2012/13 academic year,” which the school ignored. “Certificates of students who enrolled for the first time in September 2012 will not be attested by KHDA, and no transfer certificate will be provided,” he added.

The KHDA is helping parents find “alternative schools for their children”.

The school principal, Amy Robertson, who took charge after the violations were made, is upset over the negative publicity and claimed that they are working towards improving the standards.

“I accept that there were violations in the past. And, the KHDA is upset over that. But, I am working towards changing that. We have implemented absolutely everything to improve the quality of education we are providing,” she elaborated, denying receiving any official statement from the KHDA about not accepting new students.

The principal added that the school recently spent Dh1.5million for upgrading its educational standards.