School leaders in the UAE believe they are in a strong position to rally from the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Schools in the Emirates and across the globe have invested in a number of measures to ensure a safe environment for pupils and accelerate the transition to remote learning.
ISC research, an educational data provider that has been collecting information on international schools for 27 years, said the full effects of Covid-19 on the education sector may not be felt until the coming academic year.
But while schools in the UAE are counting the cost of the pandemic, an increasing focus on affordability and freezing of fees will attract pupils.
“Schools have had to purchase extra cleaning resources, social distancing tools such as signage and barriers, thermal scanners, licences for online platforms, and devices for some children and teachers," said Nalini Cook, Europe, Middle East and Africa head of research at ISC Research.
"They have had to increase their digital infrastructure and some schools have increased their staff to cover divided classes and quarantine and isolation periods."
Community care, wellbeing initiatives, and a strong distance learning programme are key for schools to recover, she said.
"Bouncing back is important but many, whilst looking for a return to some normality and familiarity are also exploring what has been learned over the last 18 months and so the bounce back may actually be a bounce ‘forward’ rather than ‘back," she said.
UAE schools invest in safety
In November 2020, schools in the UAE said they were confident of bouncing back from the economic effect of the pandemic after investing heavily to meet Covid-19 safety regulations.
Schools spent tens of thousand of dirhams to ensure premises were able to safely welcome back pupils at the start of the academic year.
Fiona Cottam, principal of Hartland International School in Dubai, said coronavirus had proved "incredibly challenging" for all industries, including the education sector.
The school, which caters for pupils aged 3 to 18, had spent close to Dh100,000 ($27,000) at the time to set up a medical room and increase sanitisation measures to meet guidelines required to reopen.
On the other hand, the economic impact of the virus has reduced disposable income for some families and, with that, their access to private education, according to ISC Research.
International schools said some pupils were being moved to more affordable institutes.
Schools also reported they had received requests from parents for payment plans, fee discounts, bursaries or loans to cover school fees in the short-term.
Low-cost schools in demand
Diane Glass, commercial director at ISC Research, said across the world admissions were down at some schools, while a few institutions closed and fees were being frozen in some geographies.
She said the Middle East had prepared for and witnessed a growth in the number of mid-market schools in recent times.
"It was probably the first part of the world that began to develop these mid-market fee point schools to appeal to a much wider audience," said Ms Glass.
"There are a lot of very positive things going on in the Middle East and a lot of companies we work with are still doing extremely well in that part of the world.
"Certainly parts of the world that are dependent on tourism have suffered and that has affected opportunities for international schools."
Ten new private schools are to open in Dubai in the next academic year, increasing the emirate's number of schools to 220 and creating 15,000 new places for pupils.
Two of the offers will be low-cost schools. An initiative, called Dubai Schools, will be run by a private sector operator with government funding, under a new model for the city.
Dino Varkey, chief executive of Gems Education, was on ARN's Business Breakfast radio show recently to discuss the impact of the pandemic.
He said the school group had witnessed a drop in the number of enrolments for the first time in 60 years but hoped numbers would be back at pre-pandemic levels by next year.
"We certainly think that we'll be back up to where we were pre-Covid. We contracted enrollments by 3 per cent, certainly the first time in our 60 years that we've ever seen, enrollments go backwards,” said Mr Varkey.
"But given the pandemic, I think, not surprising, certainly, we would see us recovering that number. And if we have a similar summer, as we have done over the last couple of years, I would hope that we'd be ahead of that as well.”
“Over the course of the last three, four years, we've certainly seen consistent growth in our affordable or value segment."
Alan Williamson, chief executive of Taaleem said families and staff craved safety, security and well-being amid a pandemic.
“Parents are looking for security and I think the bigger brands like Taaleem are arguably where parents will go at a time of uncertainty,” said Mr Williamson.
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 3 (Kroos 4', Ramos 30', Marcelo 37')
Eibar 1 (Bigas 60')
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021
Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.
Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.
Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.
Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.
Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.
Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.
Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”
Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
List of UAE medal winners
Gold
Faisal Al Ketbi (Open weight and 94kg)
Talib Al Kirbi (69kg)
Omar Al Fadhli (56kg)
Silver
Zayed Al Kaabi (94kg)
Khalfan Belhol (85kg)
Zayed Al Mansoori (62kg)
Mouza Al Shamsi (49kg women)
Bronze
Yahia Mansour Al Hammadi (Open and 94kg)
Saood Al Hammadi (77kg)
Said Al Mazroui (62kg)
Obaid Al Nuaimi (56kg)
Bashayer Al Matrooshi (62kg women)
Reem Abdulkareem (45kg women)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
