Education In Focus - July 2015

MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR

This is the third edition of Clyde & Co's 'Education in focus' newsletter, a quarterly publication designed to keep you up-to-date with current trends and insights from the regional education sector.

We continue to be busy advising operators, investors and management teams on a wide range of matters across the early years, K-12, higher education and professional training sectors. Clyde & Co's dedicated education team consists of specialists from across the firm's full service offering and across all our regional offices. We have a real connection to the regional education sector and add real value to our clients wishing to do business here.

On 8 June we hosted our second education roundtable dinner at the Ritz-Carlton, Abu Dhabi. The event was an intimate affair with 21 attendees and provided an opportunity to discuss a number of challenges facing the K-12 sector in Abu Dhabi and how schools were adapting to these challenges. Attendees included operators and head teachers from schools in Abu Dhabi, as well as a number of investors and education professionals. The main themes discussed were regulatory developments, the recruitment and retention of teaching staff, use of supply teachers, delivery of effective Arabic language lessons and SEN provision. We plan to hold our next roundtable dinner in Doha after the summer.

Key members of our education team will be in London on 6 July to host a capability building event in conjunction with UKTI Education. This will focus on early years, K-12 and higher education operators, as well as training companies, looking to expand into the region. Details are included in this newsletter and we look forward to seeing many of you at the event.

Ross Barfoot Head of MENA Education, Clyde & Co

MARKET UPDATES AND INSIGHT

Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) launches new investment guide ADEC has launched its new investment guide aimed at investors and operators of private schools in Abu Dhabi, providing a very useful overview of the process and requirements when establishing a new educational facility in Abu Dhabi.

Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) in Dubai approves school fee increases KHDA has given approval to over 100 private schools in Dubai to increase fees for the upcoming 2015/2016 academic year. Depending on the ranking of the school, 'Acceptable', 'Good' or 'Outstanding', the increases range from 2.92% to 5.84%.

UAE School Transportation In a further boost to school transportation standards in Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council has launched a scheme to improve the quality in this area by implementing a certification regime for school bus drivers and supervisors to ensure adherence to best practice and applicable regulations in Abu Dhabi.

This above follows closely the rollout by the Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai (RTA) of an improved school bus fleet, with plans to increase the fleet to 650 buses by 2024.

Qatar's Shura Council considering new Private Schools Law and Educational Services Law The Shura Council (Qatar's elected and appointed legislative body) is currently discussing two educational laws following their approval by the Cabinet in December. The private school law allows for regulation of private schools by the Supreme Education Council (SEC) on matters including licencing and procedures, work and study systems, investigation and disciplinary accountability.

The educational services law includes provisions on educational services including education or training services provided in areas of language, computer, secretarial, accounting and administration.

KHDA's parent/school contract becomes mandatory KHDA's model parent/school contract is to become mandatory for all schools in Dubai for the next academic year. In 2013 the model contract was introduced to 58 schools as a pilot programme, extending to the emirate's 34 Indian and Pakistani schools earlier this year.

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