Private schools must focus on 'pupil retention, not just growth'

UK-organised conference hears pandemic has led many parents to re-evaluate where they send their children

Dubai schools reopened for the previous school year with strict protocols in place to reduce the chances of Covid-19 transmission. Shruti Jain / The National

Thousands of teachers and staff working at private schools in Dubai were screened for Covid-19 before the start of the last academic year. Photo: Dubai Health Authority

Pupils in Year 2 and above are required to wear masks in school. Victor Besa / The National

Pupils also remain socially distanced in the classrooms and classes are not allowed to mix. Shruti Jain / The National

Parents are encouraged to report any exposure to Covid-19 immediately. Shruti Jain / The National

Social bubbles reduce the chance of transmission in schools. Shruti Jain / The National

Sanitising schools throughout the day has become common since the coronavirus pandemic began. Antonie Robertson / The National

Pupils have allocated seats on school buses to make it easier to track and trace close contacts of Covid cases. Satish Kumar / The National

Demands on schools increased during the Covid-19 pandemic with parents looking for a focus on structured well-being provisions, rigorous distance learning, and health and safety protocols, an international conference heard.

Parents are now deciding which schools to send their children to based on these services and the school’s ability to respond to a crisis, in addition to the more common education-related factors, a study by ISC Research, an educational data provider in the UK said.

On Thursday, ISC Research organised a virtual conference addressing the disruption and transformation of international education due the pandemic.

During the event, teachers and education experts discussed the pandemic-induced crisis in the global education market.

Education experts shared advice for schools on attracting pupils in an increasingly competitive market.

David Harkin, chief executive of 8billionideas, an online learning service, urged schools to make retaining pupils a higher priority than enrolling children.

“Parents' demands will continue to change. We have seen industries destroyed and some created in the last 16 months,” said Mr Harkin.

“Show your parents that you are going above and beyond.

“Think about every part of the pupil and parent's journey.

“Make retention a much higher priority. We always talk about getting pupils into the school but we don't hear of retention strategies.”

Mental health and well-being have been high on the agenda for schools in the UAE throughout the most recent school year.

Gems Legacy School launched a mental health curriculum for pupils in grades 3 to 6 in April this year, while mental health and well-being studies will be part of the curriculum when Brighton College Dubai launches its sixth form in September.

As part of the Brighton College programme, teenagers will be taught about food and nutrition, exercise, communication, leadership, resilience and positive relationships.

Alan Williamson, chief executive of Taaleem, which runs 13 schools in the Emirates, said parents and pupils are “looking for security".

“Schools should also offer a clear USP in a very competitive market,” said Mr Williamson.

“We looked after our staff, especially our teachers. They stayed with Taaleem and unlike other schools, we have an average departure of only 15 per cent and 10 per cent in the British Schools. This is amazing given the pandemic.”

Tim Barker, business development director at English UK, the national association of English language centres in the UK, said schools needed to listen to pupils and not focus only on teaching them.

“We need to listen to what pupils have to say. The young people at our school will tell you what's important to them,” said Mr Barker.

He said schools had to be willing to push back against parents.

“Sometimes young people need space to form their own bonds and craft their own spaces while parents may want hands-on attention all the time,” he said.

Most school campuses across the world closed for face-to-face learning around March 2020, with some schools reopening, either fully or for online or blended learning, in late summer, while others reopened for the new 2020-2021 academic year.

Pupils at Delhi Private School Dubai receive Covid-19 vaccine