Parents of students at GEMS schools have called on the education giant to do more to help with fees amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic to alleviate what some have terms ‘rising agony’.
At the beginning of April, GEMS Education said it will offer some parents discounts on school fees, subject to them submitting details of their financial situation.
For many parents, however, the move is not enough. More than 14,000 signing a petition calling for a minimum 30 percent fee reduction for the third term, in which students will remain at home ‘e-learning’ rather than in classrooms.
“We feel that it is unjustified that GEMS is demanding a full fee payment for the third term’s distance learning programme,” the letter says. “It is important to address that the online learning platform is not a complete alternate, but rather a supplement to the term education.”
“Parents have to put in more than 5-7 hours a day, assisting children to complete the daily assigned lessons, provide resources, stationary, technology, not to mention the added mental strain and pressure of working from home simultaneously,” it added.
The petition also states that while parents “appreciate” the company’s decision to pay its staff in full, it is “purely an employer’s decision”, the financial implications of which should not be passed on to the parents.
‘Proof of our suffering’
In a separate letter sent to Arabian Business, GEMS parents said that the group’s support and relief plans and its proposed means testing have caused “rising agony”. As part of the plan, only families who have lost jobs, had salary cuts or been forced to take unpaid leaves would benefit.
“It is appalling that GEMS Education Group…has opened to means test to identify parents that are eligible only,” the letter said. “It is disquieting to see how parents are being gauged and categorised at the extent of this affliction…..we, parents, are also being asked to furnish tenancy contracts and bank statements as proof of our suffering.”
“We parents feel this is an unjust approach,” the letter said.
According to the letter, even parents who have not lost their jobs or been drastically affected are still facing difficulties as a result of being thrust into dual roles as teachers and “IT technicians” supporting their children as they work from home.
“Our remote learning experience has been, thus far, unorganised and inadequate,” the letter added. “It is incredibly unfortunate that the schools expect full fees payments while offering such minimal, inadequate services in this term and we find ourselves doing all the hard work for them with our children.”
“We are disappointed that this is the only extent of support from GEMS Education during a crisis such as this.”
The full letter from parents to Arabian Business reads as follows:
Dear Mr Anil Bhoyrul,
We, parents of GEMS schools are writing to you of our rising agony in reaction to the GEMS Education Group‘s recent announcement of their support/ relief plans during this crisis situation.
After all our persistent efforts in manifesting our views with the school, it is unfortunate how the schools’ core management has chosen to “means test parents” in order to address our struggles at this unprecedented time.
They have stated that they will “means test parents” to see if they’re eligible to avail their relief measures and stated to address only “families who have lost their jobs, had salary cuts or been placed on unpaid leave and are struggling to pay fees at this point in time as a direct result of the Covid-19 outbreak.”
It is appalling that GEMS Education Group, the largest education provider in the UAE, has opted to “means test” to identify parents that are eligible only. This implies that we, parents, are required to furnish our financial status and credentials to avail these relief measures.
It is disquieting to see how parents are being gauged and categorised at the extent of this affliction to avail school’s relief plans and measures. We parents are also being asked to furnish tenancy contracts and bank statements as proof of our sufferings.
We all, and the whole world around us, are going though such unparalleled, distressing circumstances, both financially and otherwise. We parents feel that is this an unjust approach to identity a specific minor sector of parents and adjust relief measures for them. In all fairness, they do require tremendous support.
But what about the relief measures for all those parents who may not have lost their jobs and/or drastically affected financially, but are still facing financial struggles, performing labourious tasks all day long, turning unqualified/inadequate teachers, ignorant/clueless IT technicians struggling to manage countless applications/information/ resources, all of that, whilst being supportive parents working from home?
Our ‘Remote Learning’ experiences has been, thus far, unorganised and inadequate, and we parents are stranded unequipped with only resources online, that most of us are struggling through everyday helping our children cope with it.
It is incredibly unfortunate that the schools expect full fees payment while offering such minimal, inadequate services in this term and we find ourselves doing all the hard work for them with our children, at home and working from home.
We are disappointed that this is the only extent of support from GEMS Education during a crisis such as this!
We expect a minimum of 20% fee curtailment for all parents and more for parents who have lost jobs and/or in deep financial crisis.
We are certain that ‘Arabian Business’ has always been supportive of the righteous and will help our parent community in a creditable way.
Please find below our petition online of nearly 15,000 parents from across all GEMS schools coming together to voice our crisis situation.
Below is the link to our petition for your perusal. We can also furnish details of the thousands of parents in support of this, if need be.
https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/gems-fee-reduction
Many thanks and regards,
Parents of GEMS Education Dubai
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