DUBAI // Children at a special-needs school that closed after its manager allegedly fled with all of its funds will be able to return on Sunday after an education group threw St Andrews a lifeline.
The pupils at St Andrews and their parents arrived for the start of the academic year on Wednesday to find the gates locked.
Now the school group Dubai Education, which owns the Canadian University of Dubai, has agreed to assume control of operations and reopen St Andrews next week.
“We will ensure your children return to their normal routine, their friends and their education without any disturbance,” Buti Al Ghandi, chairman of Dubai Education and chancellor of the Canadian University, has written to parents.
“We are committed to fulfilling the needs of the children and equally committed to assuring the future of their education, including the conversion of the institute into a fully fledged school.”
The letter was sent to parents on Thursday evening after an agreement was reached between Dubai Education and the British Institute for Learning Development (Bild), which formerly managed the school.
It is understood the fees that have already been paid by parents will be honoured. Most have paid the fees for the first of four terms, Dh19,250, in advance. Seven had paid Dh75,000 for the full year.
School heads claim the managing director of Bild, Dr Christopher Reynolds, cleared out its accounts after parents had paid fees for the new term.
Dr Reynolds, 60, has also written a letter to the parents of St Andrews pupils, in which he confirmed he has returned to Australia and says he plans to take legal action against his wife.
He has been involved in a bitter divorce battle with his wife, which was heard in a Sharjah court.
In the letter, Dr Reynolds said: “The British Institute could still come back. I did not close it.”
As part of the rescue, Kamal Fodil, vice president of student affairs at the Canadian University of Dubai, has been appointed principal of St Andrews.
Mr Fodil has 22 years of experience in teaching and management at elementary and secondary school education in Canada, and a Master’s in Education from the University of Ottawa, specialising in students with special needs.
He said he hoped to maintain things as they were so the students' routines would be unaffected by the change in management.
"I can't see any obstacles," said Mr Fodil. "Everything will be the same, the same support staff, same teachers … in fact, the only difference will be a new addition to the team, me."
Mr Fodil said he had yet to speak to the parents but planned to do so over the coming days. He also looked forward to meeting his staff.
“It is very important to include the parents and work with them as they are our best resource to get to know the child,” he said.
“I’ve only had the chance to speak to one of the teachers but from what I’ve been told, all the teachers are passionate about the work they do with the children and are eager to return.”
Mr Fodil said one of the school’s responsibilities was to change popular perceptions of those with special needs.
“I don’t see them as children with special needs, I see them as gifted children. We have to change the way we look at people in our society. We tend to look at anyone different from the normal as inadequate.”
A spokesman for Dubai Education said the group had received many messages from parents expressing their gratitude and happiness that the school would reopen.
“In the end, we are happy that we had the resources and expertise to be able to step in and act quickly,” the spokesman said. “We felt it was our responsibility to do so.”
- With reporting by Colin Simpson
