Middlesex University postpones start of term

DUBAI // A Dubai university has delayed the start of term until after Ramadan, in contrast to most other higher education institutions and schools, which will hold classes throughout the holy month. Middlesex University Dubai, the UAE branch of a London-based institution, will not start its new school year until October 5, once the Eid al Fitr holiday that follows Ramadan is completed. Most other universities, including the federal institutions Zayed University and the Higher Colleges of Technology, will end classes early during Ramadan, which starts on September 1, but will not delay the start of term. The Ministry of Education announced this month it would not heed calls to delay the start of the new school year at government schools. Professor Raed Awamleh, the director of Middlesex University Dubai, said: "We have planned our academic calendar for the whole year to accommodate for Ramadan without compromising the length or depth of studies." The university said it wanted students to be able to spend "quality time with their families" and then "start classes at a regular pace". Dr Awamleh said the university would add extra classes in late December and early January to make up for the delayed start. "Ramadan is a testing time and it shouldn't be a time for relaxing and not working, but studying is not like working. If you can accomplish tasks at a different time, you shouldn't make life more difficult." Paris-Sorbonne Abu Dhabi will also start its first term on October 5. However, Maysoon Barber, the spokesman for Paris-Sorbonne Abu Dhabi, said this was not related to Ramadan, as the university also began its new school year in early October last year, which meant that classes overlapped with the holy month. At the American University of Sharjah, the new school year began yesterday, and Dr Ibrahim Sadek, the associate dean at the college of arts and sciences, said the university "did not find problems" with Ramadan lectures. Most classes would end about 4pm during Ramadan, said Dr Sadek. He suggested that to abandon lectures completely during Ramadan could go against the purpose of the holy month. "Ramadan is not to make things easy," he said. "In our holy book, it says Ramadan is to work hard." At Abu Dhabi Vocational Education and Training Institute, which runs diploma classes and is open to Emiratis only, the first term for daytime students begins on September 1. However, the term for students taking evening classes has been put back until after Ramadan, as the fast is broken and socialising takes place after sunset. "For the students attending during the daytime, we'll be very considerate and flexible about what we ask them to do," said David Thomas, the institute's director of corporate services. He added that classes would finish at 1.30pm or 2pm, compared with 4pm outside Ramadan. All schools that follow the Ministry of Education curriculum will start the new year on August 31. Mohammed bin Hindi, the executive director for institutional affairs and supporting services at the ministry, said this month: "It is not reasonable to delay the academic year." Some principals warned that the performance of teachers and pupils could be affected by the fact they were fasting. Global Education Management Systems (Gems), which operates 25 private schools, said a month-long delay to the start of term could have meant lessons continuing into July. In some Muslim countries, including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, term does not begin until after Ramadan. dbardsley@thenational.ae