Sharjah Ruler Orders Schools to Refund Fees

The Ruler of Sharjah has directed the emirate’s education authority to stop collecting fees from Sudan Private School.

His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, has also ordered the Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA) to refund all nominal fees already collected from parents.

Al Qasimi said he established the school after finding that members of Sharjah’s Sudanese community could not afford to enrol their children in other schools across the city.

The Ruler of Sharjah said the school was never intended to operate as a commercial institution and was established with the aim of providing education entirely free of charge.

He also called on Sharjah Government employees to continue their education and complete higher academic qualifications.

Sheikh Al Qasimi has introduced a new education initiative called ‘Tumouh’, meaning ‘Aspiration’ in English.

A total of 60 male and female Sharjah Government employees have enrolled in the postgraduate diploma programme, which will allow them to continue their academic journey towards a Master’s degree at the University of Exeter in the UK.

Al Qasimi made the comments during a phone-in on the ‘Direct Line’ programme, hosted by Mohammed Hassan Khalaf, Director-General of the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority.

His Highness provided details about the school’s establishment and explained the circumstances that led to its creation.

“We established Sudan Private School after discovering that some Sudanese parents could not afford to enrol their children in schools. We therefore opened a private school for them and took responsibility for its teachers and other operations without charging parents any fees.

“It seems that the Sharjah Private Education Authority introduced certain fees and described them as ‘nominal’. However, even a nominal fee can be a significant burden for someone in need. Therefore, we have instructed the Authority not to collect any fees, whether large or small, from these students.”

He added: “We remain in constant contact with those managing the school and closely monitor every aspect of its operations. If a teacher hits a student, we terminate their employment immediately.

“When we find a teacher who is not performing to the required standard, we provide training and development and give them the necessary support to teach effectively. If there is still no improvement, we remove them from the school. From the platform of ‘Direct Line’, we are also telling the Sharjah Private Education Authority to return the money it has collected from people in need.”