Ajman shuts ‘unlicensed’ school, director held
AJMAN: In an incident that is the first of its kind in the UAE, an “unlicensed” private school in the Emirate of Ajman collected tuition fees from students for the current academic year 20222023, then closed its doors and its director and staff disappeared.
Commenting on the incident, the Ministry of Education indicated that the school was not licenced and did not exist in the licensing records, calling on parents to investigate the accuracy when choosing a school to enroll their children in.
The Ministry also said that it had coordinated with the competent departments to provide the opportunity for students wishing to enroll in other schools.
The school has been shut down by a decision of the Commercial Control and Protection Department at the Department of Economic Development in Ajman, on Sept.13, 2022.
In accordance with the decision, it is not permissible to open it except ater reviewing the DED.
The Department also warned against removing the seal without the department’s permission, in order to avoid the legal accountability.
The Ajman Police have arrested the director of the school.
Major Mohammed Al Shaali, Head of Al Jarf Comprehensive Police Station, revealed that the Station had received a number of reports from parents of students stating that they had been defrauded.
They reported that they had paid tuition fees to a school administration, but a week ater the beginning of the school year, they were surprised by the school had been shut down, and its responsible principal and all the staff working there had disappeared, Major Al Shaali added.
Over the investigation, it was found that the accused (M.KH.A.), Arab, did not adhere to the decision that refused his request to officially open the school, due to failing to meet the requirements, and announced the opening of enrollment with alluring offers, to atract the largest possible number of parents.
The director of the fake school reportedly received the tuition fees himself against receipts, but later on, he closed the school and fled.
Following the completion of the necessary measures, the security forces were able to arrest the suspect, who admited that he practiced the activity without a license during the interrogation.
He collected tuition fees from parents for more than 1,500 students, and he spent part of the amount, he told the police.