No schools for Indian students in Abu Dhabi, parents worried

The thousands of Indians who have made Abu Dhabi their home are now seriously re-considering their future plans in the prosperous city, as there just aren't enough schools to send their children to.

Indian students are facing an unexpected crisis, as the Abu Dhabi Education Council is set to shut down 12 of the 17 Indian schools in the city by 2010, which are based in converted villas and not purpose-built school facilities.

The ADEC is trying to tackle the situation by offering free land to anyone willing to invest money and time to build a new Indian school, but such long-term plans bring little solace to the anxious parents, who are trying to figure out where to enroll their children in the next academic year.

The academic year begins in the month of April in Indian schools, and thousands of students who had been studying in the 12 soon-to-be-shut-down schools are now facing an uncertain future.

Worried parents point out that while the problem is not that crucial for young students, the older students simply cannot afford such an unscheduled break in their studies.

As the city struggles with the problem of too many Indian students and too few schools for them, many families are seriously mulling the option of moving out of Abu Dhabi, which has become their home over the years. The other alternative, of sending their young children to faraway schools in nearby cities, is equally unfeasible.

The ADEC is also considering pleas from other schools, which have thousands of students on their waiting list, to allow them to expand their capacity.

The education body is also in talks with an 'Indian businessman' to open a new school which will offer 11,000 seats, but refuses to divulge further details. ADEC has assured the Indian community that it is concerned about the lack of capacity in Indian schools and will consider both 'long-term and short-term options'. The council also urged the Indian community to cooperate in its efforts to tackle the problem.

The parents, in their turn, have asked the ADEC to take urgent measures to handle the situation before the next school year starts. Most of these families are also considering looking beyond the Indian community and sending their children, who were born in Abu Dhabi, to other schools.

ADEC representatives have already met the Indian envoy to discuss the situation and the latter has urged the government to intervene in the matter. The council has also offered free land to anybody willing to build schools and provide low-cost education according to its guidelines.