Teacher couple’s 30-yr-old school started with 3 pupils
dubai — Durairaj and Premalatha have fulfilled their dream of developing a public school in Dubai and setting up a state-of-the-art school back home in India, all thanks to Dubai.
M. Durairaj, in his mid-sixties, is a mathematics teacher from Nagarcoil in Tamil Nadu state and has always wanted to start a school in his hometown, but his father, a shrewd contractor, told him to gain some work experience before starting any business, as he did not want his young son losing money.
A young Durairaj was disappointed, but moved to Nigeria to work as a Government Education Officer in the 1970s. After eight years, he decided it was time to leave as the Nigerian currency value was going down and the law and order problems were growing in the country. But instead of going back to India to start his dream school project, his relatives working in Dubai invited him to try out the ‘City of Hope’ where the education sector offered many opportunities for professionals.
“I came to Dubai in 1987 with Dh45,000 in my pocket and the intention of starting a new school. Initially, I was working as a math teacher in another school. My wife, Premlatha Rani Durairaj, was also a math teacher in Dubai. We started the new school with just 3 students, out of a villa in Port Saeed. It was a tough time in our life, but there was no turning back because the number of students kept increasing,” Durairaj told Khaleej Times.
The couple’s Buds Public School celebrates 30 years in Dubai this year.
An educational journey
While many villa schools started in the early days closed down, Durairaj and his wife have managed to run theirs successfully for three decades, despite periodic setbacks. Initially, it started with classes KG to Grade 3, and a single mini bus.
In 1992, the school moved to Satwa to accommodate more students and the classes went up to Grade 9. In 1998, the school again shifted to a bigger place in Garhoud. Affiliated to the Indian CBSE curriculum since 1996, the school has continued to grow, and today the founding couple are content with their almost-900 students, 90-staff and campus. The fees, which was originally was about Dh90-120 per month is today between Dh7,000-12,000 per year.
Their children, son Joshua and daughter Judisha, have taken over the management from their parents.
Joshua, who was only four when his parents started the school, is currently the operations manager of Buds. “Initially, the students for the primary school came from my parents’ friends circles. Even in the 90s when Buds was made a public school, it was still located in a four-bedroom villa and had 6 to 8 class teachers,” he recalls. Sister Judisha is the school’s administration manager.
A steep learning experience
It wasn’t all buds and roses though. During the recession of 2008, the number of students fell to 300, just when the school had started investing in its permanent campus. But they overcame the challenges and the current campus located on 100,000 square feet of land can accommodate 2,000 students and boasts all the facilities required. “By 2014-15, we went ahead with another expansion, adding many new facilities at a cost of Dh15 million. We could overcome all the major hurdles quite thanks to our parents’
I came to Dubai in 1987 with Dh45,000 in my pocket and the intention of starting a new school.” M. Durairaj
experience in both teaching and management.”
Buds Public School in Dubai is gearing up for further expansion now. Renowned professionals are on the school board, the latest addition being Ainsley Edgar, a National Awardee of the Government of India and school principal with three decades of experience.
Now, the family plans to expand the school, setting up a flagship school in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, for which approvals and drawings are completed. “After gaining all these years of rich experience in Dubai and Nigeria, just like my father wanted me to years ago, we are investing Rs 50 crores into a new ICSE school,” Durairaj said.
The family is doing their fair share for charity too, with a Rs 1 million donation to a blind school in Irenipuram in Tamil Nadu.
The Durairaj family is thankful to Dubai for the opportunities provided to them, and the international exposure and experience that they gained. “Even when we go back to India for our new school project, we will continue to love Dubai and our students, parents and teachers here,” the couple said.
sathish@khaleejtimes.com