What Schooling Options Will Students Leaving the Middle East Have at This Time of Year?

Dear Friends, 

Given the recent war and widespread instability in the Middle East, Bennett has begun to receive inquiries from some of our clients about how quickly we might be able to place students leaving Dubai and Abu Dhabi, should they be either repatriated or sent on an unexpected assignment with their parents. It’s not the time of year when students typically enroll in private or international schools, and it’s good that our clients are thinking ahead to the “what about the kids’ schooling?” question. They want to know what kinds of options these kids will have in particular locations. 

In case your organization is facing a similar challenge, please know that our answer is usually “it depends,” but we’ll be able to answer more specifically, the more information you can provide.   

First, the destination location makes a huge difference, along with whether a child is being repatriated or will be arriving there with a visitor’s visa.  Depending on the country, schools may or may not inquire about visa status.  

In most instances, if a child is returning to home country, once the family has a residence, and if the parents will consider public/state education, that child will have the right to enroll in a local school.  The amount of time this will take varies by country and region within it; in the US, for example, assuming a child has required vaccinations, once residency is established, the student can usually begin school immediately.  In many countries, the student needs to be assigned to a school by local authorities, and it can take them a while to source and assign a spot.  

In all instances, the more information you can share as you begin to make plans, the better equipped Bennett will be to answer the question of what options students will have at this time of year.   Much of the information we’ll need can come only from the parents, so the sooner we can be put in touch with them, the sooner we can begin child-specific research on their behalf. 

And the good news is that, since COVID, the world of online education has exploded and there are numerous virtual schools that can be a great option for students whose are suddenly “on the move” and whose education has been disrupted. Bennett works with several that are inherently flexible and will accommodate families in difficult and unexpected transitions.  

Questions we will ask: 

For you, our corporate client: 

• How many employees (and children) is your company sending to this location? 

• How long will employees remain there? 

• Are these repatriations or “new” assignments/PTs? 

• What level of tuition support are you offering? 

For families: 

• What’s the student’s date of birth? 

• What language(s) does the child speak and in which school were they enrolled? 

• Any Special Education Needs? 

• Focus on public, private or international education? 

• Would they consider online learning as a transitional step? 

As we know, there’s very little “normal” or “hum drum” when it comes to the world of relocation, and a lot of the work involved is about problem solving, whether it relates to visas, taxes, home-finding or education.  When it comes to the kids, we’ve got their back; in our experience, there’s always a way to figure it out.  And it’ll be ok. 

Warmly, 

Elizabeth Sawyer, CEO, Bennett International

Bennett International Education Consultancy works directly with hundreds of families each year across the globe. We support families by helping them make informed decisions about the best-fit schools for their children; with our guidance, they secure placement in preschools, private day schools, public/state schools, boarding schools, colleges & universities, including schools with particular programs, such as special needs support.