They are now planning to leave because the search for an education provider that can offer that support has failed.
“It is very difficult to be a parent of children with special learning needs in the UAE,” says Carol Spellman.
“I often experience great anxiety about the future for my children since there are no services available for them.”
Spellman is not alone in these concerns. She is joined by more than 250 parents who are anxiously looking for a school that can accommodate children with mild to moderate learning needs.
While there are a few institutions that cater to children with extreme mental and physical disabilities, education consultants say those who require support within a school environment are being ignored.
Fiona Coutts, an education consultant in Dubai who is currently working with several families to find placement for their children, is seeing parents exiting the country.
“This is really devastating,” she says.
One of her clients, Maria Khan whose nine-year-old son Rayan requires speech therapy has already shifted three schools. Khan said her son is now being asked to leave his present institutions as well. “He has been improving but now the school has asked me to make other arrangements,” said the worried mother.
A handful of schools are resourced for children with special needs but due to overwhelming demand, education providers say they have to decline several admission requests.
According to Federal Law 29, schools cannot refuse admission to a child they deem to have learning difficulties or special needs.
“Schools that do not want to accept these kids say they are full,” Coutts, said.
“Even if they are forced to accept a child, it is counterproductive because therapy is not provided and shadow teachers aren’t trained,” she added.
With more UAE nationals being diagnosed with special learning needs, Coutts said this poses a greater challenge for the local population. “Expatriates can leave the country but for the Emiratis this is home,” she said.
The issue has been a raging topic on several social networking platforms with parents from within the UAE and abroad discussing their options. Expatwoman, a popular website and forum for expatriates has been abuzz with queries.
Jude Bonner, web administrator of the website, says there has been an increase in the number of parents requiring support.
“In schooling, the provision for special needs is paramount, and the UAE doesn’t have much to offer, sadly.”
More than 20 per cent of people outside the UAE use the website and Bonner believes the feedback from resident members deters some from taking up jobs here.
“After all, if you can’t educate your child to the best of your parental ability, then your quality of life must surely diminish,” said the administrator.
The need of the hour is to develop a facility that operates in conjunction with a school.
Dr Robert Spellman who was supposed to head such an all-rounded school in Sharjah hit a dead end when it was shelved and has since made frantic attempts to create interest in investors in a similar project.
“Parents of children with mild to moderate learning needs do not want them to be labelled as disabled,” said Spellman.
“The programme for such children must run in association with a mainstream school where the child is provided assistance in areas of need but then allowed to socialise during other classes and activities,” said Spellman who has majored in working with children with learning disabilities from the Illinois State University in the US.
