Parents complained about the imposition of private schools as fees on student activities without educational viability, carrying names that they described as “strange”, such as: “The Day of Fruits and Vegetables” and “Global”, noting that these activities exceed in their essence the educational process, and they are also unnecessary It lacks the feasibility, as they put it.
Students affirmed that some schools are hardly passed a week without a new event, including trips, projects, competitions and celebrations, all for high fees that burden families.
While teachers saw that some extra -curricular activities develop the life skills of students, especially as they are not present in the curricula, but they did not find a comment on the fees of those activities that families bear.
The principals of private schools stressed the importance of the role of entertainment programs in breaking the study routine and enhancing students’ interaction with curricula, but they did not explain how they organized them or their financial impact on families.
On the other hand, Turbouon emphasized that these activities do not have the same momentum in government schools, and if they exist, they do not constitute a financial burden that weighs the shoulders of students, and does not cause them to be suffering, as it remains within the limits of reasonable and free.
In detail, the students of students: Hamdan Al -Balushi, Maysa Hamdan, Sarah Mustafa, Abeer Abdel Hamid, Samar Mohamed, Mayada Hassan and Muhammad Taha, expressed their dissatisfaction with the many activities imposed by some private schools, noting that they have turned into a financial burden Renewed monthly, and they confirmed that schools are rarely passed a week without a new event, which vary between trips, projects, competitions and celebrations, all for a high fees that burden families.
And they saw that these activities do not provide the real benefit to students, while the continuous demands of schools put parents under double pressure, especially with their basic financial obligations such as paying tuition fees, and demanded that school activities be restructured, so that they are organized according to a clear timetable and with approved fees from the authorities The specialist, and they said: “Families that have more than one student in different academic stages are the most affected by these repeated claims, as the suffering is not only limited to financial burdens, but also includes psychological pressure and the time deducted from parents to help their children prepare for events and activities.”
They stated that the cost of some events reaches more than 700 dirhams, and sometimes it reaches 1000 dirhams, for one student in one event, which constitutes a large financial burden on families, especially in light of the high prices of materials required for each activity.
They stressed that the main goal of school activities must be the development of students’ skills and enhance their independence, instead of loading their relatives financial demands that exceed their ability, and stressed that life skills must be truly for all students, and not a privilege dependent on financial ability.
Students’ parents said that the high cost has become a new way for some private schools to achieve profit at the expense of parents, calling on the concerned authorities to intervene to control these practices, and to ensure that the activities are of real educational value away from the unjustified financial attrition.
A number of school principals and teachers, who preferred not to reveal their names, said that the diversity of educational activities contributes to enriching the skills and knowledge of learners, considering that limiting the teacher explaining the lesson constitutes an obstacle to the consolidation of information, and here lies the importance of activities related to the subject, as it enhances life skills with Learners.
In response to a question about activities that do not add educational value such as “The Day of Fruits and Vegetables”, they pointed out that these activities introduce students to the health benefits of vegetables and fruits. Student.
On the other hand, the educators (p. A), (M.M.), (HA) and (AS) explained that public schools do not impose any additional financial burdens on students with regard to school activities, noting that these activities are It is usually limited in their number, and is limited to activities that do not require high cost.
They emphasized that activities in public schools take place in a balanced manner, as they focus on enhancing life skills for students without resorting to excessive momentum of activities that burden families, which makes them more suitable for the financial ability of parents.
The educational expert, Dr. Ahmed Al -Janabi, explained to «Emirates Today» the concept of extra -curricular activities and its importance in the educational process, saying: “It constitutes a vital necessity to develop the personality of students and enhance their skills and capabilities.”
He stressed the importance of being systematic and carefully studied, as it contributes to developing the social and emotional skills of learners, stimulating personal skills, as well as providing them with new knowledge and skills, and giving them the opportunity to discover their capabilities.
In response to a question about the specifications and goals of these activities, he stressed that it is necessary to be of clear and specific goals, with the necessity of good planning and real participation of students, while working within a framework of continuous evaluation.
He stressed the importance of employing learning sources developed in all aspects of the educational process, and not limiting the frequent weekly activities that constitute a burden on parents and students.
With regard to the cost that parents bear due to the various non -educational school activities, especially in families that have more than one student in different academic stages, he stressed that the responsibility to determine the cost of these activities fall on the concerned authorities, which must assess and approve school activities Its fees, to ensure the feasibility of activities, and to achieve a real benefit for students without the parents’ additional burden.
He pointed out that education at the present time takes on various forms and various paths that integrate the theoretical and applied sides, which requires a deep understanding of modern educational goals in building capacity and skills, and stressed the need to avoid the random application of activities, which dispels educational and development benefits, and turns activities into mere means of entertainment, or To make unjustified profits for some schools.
Educational expert:
Empty activities are a vital necessity for the development of students ’personality.
School managers:
• Entertainment programs break the study routine and enhance students’ interaction in cognitive.
• Terboon: Empty activities develop students’ skills.
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