Dubai to launch online showcase to help families choose schools

Parents can talk with heads of schools through scheduled meetings and video calls

A stand at the Global Education Supplies & Solutions conference in Dubai in 2020. This year, school shows and conferences will have to be held online. Antonie Robertson / The National

An online schools show will be held in Dubai next month to help parents pick schools for their children next year.

Parents often rely on school tours to meet teachers and principals while picking an institution that suits their child's needs and capabilities.

Schools depend on tours to recruit pupils but were forced to cancel these due to Covid-19.

Which Media will hold its inaugural online school exhibition on November 7. Around 30 schools from across the Emirates, that follow British, American, International Baccalaureate, and Indian curricula, will be in attendance.

“With the restrictions in place as a result of Covid-19 the option of attending physical shows is not available," said James Mullan, co-Founder of Which Media.

"We recognised the need to provide parents with the opportunity to meet schools and nurseries, face to face, in a single venue to decide which is the best fit for their child."

He said parents would be able to speak to schools across the country in one place at a time that suits them.

The show is supported by WhichSchoolAdvisor.com and SchoolsCompared.com – two popular and well-respected school comparison websites.

Attendance is free for parents, though they will need to register.

The show aims to attract parents considering moving their children to another school and new arrivals to the country.

David Westley, co-founder of Which Media said: "This has been a very tough year for parents, schools and the education sector and we are committed to supporting the UAE government, schools and parents across the UAE in ensuring that no family is disadvantaged, and that life continues safely and as normally as possible.

"The need for a Schools Show in the UAE has never been more urgent as parents seek to move schools in response to changing circumstances brought about by this pandemic.”

Parents will also be able to attend panel discussions on how to choose a school, which curriculum works best, good budget schools, and on how to tackle the challenges posed by Covid-19.