Gems, We Demand Fee Reduction, Not Charity!

Generally distance learning charges as much lesser than regular school. It’s not acceptable to have same fees as regular class for distance learning.

Whilst the GEMS WSO teachers are doing a good job in difficult circumstances and whilst it has been hard as a family to adjust to the home schooling regime, we acknowledge that school is dealing with a situation that is not usual. In entering into a contractual arrangement with GEMS WSO, we all parents pay a fee in return for a service. However, the fact of the matter is that school is not currently delivering the service that has been promised to us. It is therefore our firm view that on account of schools inability to provide the service that they undertook to provide, that they should provide all fee-paying parents with a considerable refund or discount. An example of the services that GEMS WSO is no longer able to provide include: • Pastoral care of all students; • Extra curricula activities such as school sport, after school activities and performing arts opportunities; • One-on-one tutorship. We are not experts in PE for example and your PE staff are not able to watch whether our children are executing proper technique for the PE classes that they are being set as part of home learning. Will GEMS WSO pay any medical bills for any injuries incurred on account of incorrect skill technique? We have similar deficiencies in areas of science(physics, chemistry, biology), maths, english and Arabic all of which impact the ability of our children to get the quality of education we are paying for GEMS; • Provision of and access to state-of-the art learning tools including computer labs, science and information technology facilities; Moreover, on 12 March 2020, the UAE Government announced a 10% reduction on DEWA bills for all customers including Commercial enterprises for an initial three-month period, as part of their stimulus package. Keeping all the above in view, we parents look forward to news of an appropriate discount on Term 3 fees such as that which has been implemented by GEMS competitors including SAFA Community and other schools around.

I agree

In the current scenario It is not fair to ask parents to pay school fees for e-learning in the same proportion. GEMS should consider revising the fees for the last term.

Parents are doing job at home R learning is stressful to the family Cut down fee

I would like to have a considerable reduction in the Tuition fees for my 2 boys. They claim we have till midnight to allow them to continued learning from tomorrow because I didn’t pay the fees and I can’t take a personal loan because of (covid-19) circumstances. My company is not allowing me to take a loan to be able to pay the fees. The company is not operating. I have lived in this country all my life grew up in Abu Dhabi The Goverment and the people of this Land have always been understanding and stand by there own people and expatriate Gems Wellington / Mr Varkey and the Board members MUST learn and UNDERSTAND what is the meaning of a Global crisis and this is the time to show our kids the meaning of being compassion / Understanding and supportive.

you can’t charge same fee for e-learning

Service not being delivered in full (quite obviously, no point in even elaborating on this). Only fair to reduce fees proportionally. GEMS not taking any enterprise risk and transferring all to parents seem quite unfair in these circumstances . All other schools are giving some reduction in fees. Gems seems to be the only school not to understand this ?

I would like to reduce the intuition fees for my son (Yassin Sherif) year 4A. They will not allow my son to continued learning from tomorrow because I didn’t pay the fees and I can’t take a personal loan because of (covid-19) circumstances. My company is not allowing me to take a loan to be able to pay the fees plus they reduced my salary.

Need fees reduction due to present circumstances. Due to online distance learning we as parents have to give almost full time to our kids mainly small kids out of our working schedule. And this online learning is not full time learning with teachers, so definitely full payment is not an appropriate option. We as working mothers have to find excuses at office to be with kids to teach them. Hence are at verge of even loosing the job. Requesting to consider our humble opinion and find out a way for our problem. Thank you. With regards.

you can’t charge same fee for e-learning.

School should consider fee reduction cross the board rather than by means test. Kids are not receiving full service so shouldn't be paying full fees.

Haritha

Fee reduction as you aware that lockdown going on we cannot go to work no income and kids are doing on line education, we parents let them sit and go through education, So please reduce the School Tuition fees.

We want overall fee reduction

Is the school not saving money on reduced energy bills, lack of utilisation of facilities and other similar things? Shouldn't these savings, no matter how negligible, be passed on to the parents? Gems schools seems to have benefited the most from COVID-19 situation as they would have had significant savings in these areas.

This is the time we are not sure how long the lockdown is going to be untill everything settles down. We have recently moved from another to Dubai is worrying where it’s going to be especially when we were just settling as whole as family

i have been made redundant from Noor bank after the acquisition of the bank by DIB

The school should provide reasonable discount on the third term fee.

E-learning platform is not equal to fully functioning school. Every child should be eligible for tution fee discounts.