Updated details have been announced for a new school in one of Dubai’s most popular gated communities on Al Qudra Road.
Dubai British School (DBS) Mira, which was originally scheduled to open next year, has announced its revised opening date as August 2025.
“Due to the date of the signing of the Mira lease agreement and our commitment to ensuring all our DBS schools are delivered to the highest quality, we made the decision to move the opening of DBS Mira to 2025," said Sam Truman, chief operating officer.
"We believe our students and families will benefit from the additional time made available to ensure DBS Mira is a truly world-class facility and we continue to progress with our plan to open DBS Jumeirah in 2024."
DBS Mira is expected to cater to more than 1,600 pupils aged three to 11, from Early Years Foundation Stage 1 to Year 7.
Even with the delay, enrolment is already under way for places at the British curriculum school.
“DBS Mira extends our premium schools’ portfolio in the UAE and offers new communities the opportunity to access values-based, world-class education at an affordable price point,” said Alan Williamson, chief executive of school operator Taaleem.
“Our decision to introduce DBS Mira, which will accommodate over 1,600 students at full utilisation, further emphasises our dedication to our growth strategy.
“In addition, we remain committed and on track to complete a further two greenfield projects.”
Growing need for more schools
News of the new project in the suburbs of Dubai will be welcomed by parents, with many schools reporting long waiting lists for enrolment.
The National reported last month how pupil numbers were swelling due to a decline in the number of families leaving the emirate.
This created a need for new schools to be built in Dubai to cope with the extra numbers of pupils.
Five years ago, as many as 10 per cent of pupils were leaving schools in the emirate, but that figure is now down to around 1.5 per cent.
Another new Taaleem school is due to open in September in 2024, DBS Jumeira in Al Wasl, with room for more than 1,600 pupils.
“We’re seeing overwhelming demand for enrolment across our premium schools’ network, most notably our Dubai British School campuses in Emirates Hills and Jumeirah Park,” said Mr Truman.
“We’re incredibly proud to have built such an attractive offering in the Dubai British Schools brand and a reputation for delivering great outcomes for students, their families and our wider communities, which will continue with DBS Jumeirah and now with DBS Mira.”
It was announced this year that some schools in the emirate would be allowed to increase their annual fees for the new school year.
Private schools could increase charges by as much as 6 per cent if they met certain criteria in their inspection ratings.
The Knowledge and Human Development Authority said running costs and the economic situation in the emirate were factors in allowing fees to be increased.
Taaleem confirmed its fees would increase ahead of the 2023/24 school year by an average of 2.8 per cent across its premium schools portfolio.
Private school tuition fees had previously been frozen for three years.
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
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David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
'Ashkal'
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What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Fixtures
50-over match
UAE v Lancashire, starts at 10am
Champion County match
MCC v Surrey, four-day match, starting on Sunday, March 24, play starts at 10am
Both matches are at ICC Academy, Dubai Sports City. Admission is free.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 592bhp
Torque: 620Nm
Price: Dh980,000
On sale: now
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
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
