Our first choice for schooling was the Al Ain English Speaking School, but by the time we booked in the summer of 2009 there were no places for our boys, so we signed them up at our second choice, the Choueifat School in Al Ain. They had a great year there. Half way through his first year at Choueifat, Toby told me that he felt he had learned twice as much in the last few months there than he had done the previous year at the private school he attended in the UK. So he felt he was getting a good education.
The headmaster there is Mr Ramzi Eid. During the following year, our 7-year-old, Felix, complained to my wife and I that he was being bullied. I went to see Mr Eid, and this matter was quickly resolved.
This is a photo of the 2 of us in the main lobby of the school…
… and a close-up.
His wife, Mrs Indira Eid, is the exam officer at the school, and she was the one who showed us round the school when we first arrived in Al Ain.
During the year I would drop the boys off at 7.20am for a 7.45am start, then pick them up at 4pm. (The 7-year-old finished at 3.15pm, but happily went into the late room til 4pm.)
The Al Ain English Speaking School starts at 7.45am and finishes at 2.30 in the primary school and 2.50 in secondary.
Hello,
My name is Renee. I used to be a Choueifat student back in the ’80’s since my parents used to work in the UAE. They resided there for the last 35 years before we came back home to Canada. I completed my high school in 1990.
I was just browsing the net to get that nostalgic feeling about Choueifat and my rebellious childhood and came across your comments.
During my time there, my principal was Mr. S. Mansour. I still remember my teachers Mr. Mohd.Haraky and Mr. Farah.
Bullying was the major issue in my life throughout my “Coueifat lifeline’.
There was nothing we could do to eliminate it. I am so devastated and pleased at the same time that even in this day and age we still go through such a phase in life as a child in a multicultural society such as the UAE. Of course, not to deny that racism and abuse in the form of bullying still exists in every nation and society.
I am pleased because in Chris Payne’s case, Mr Ramzi Eid took the initiative to resolve the issue which at my time was practically not available due to the sheer ignorance of the faculty.
This has affected me psychologically to a great extent throughout my adult life.
I am currently a financial adviser at a Canadian Financial Institution and also participate as well as an active member of several humanitarian organizations in Canada including VOM (Canadian Voice of Women).
Hats off to Chris Payne for such a wonderful article…although brief but yet powerful.
I have a mission to visit Al Ain again as a cultural ambassador to my country and offer a presentation and perhaps a campaign to help children in need psychologically in such matters.
Thank you again.
Renee Manzoor.
Thanks for your comments, Renee, and for your honesty and openness. I think things have changed a lot at Choueifat since your day. I found the headmaster a pleasure to deal with. He and his wife who works on his team came across as very committed and dedicated. Actually, I enjoyed all my dealings with the staff there.
If you do visit Al Ain again, do drop me a line again, and maybe we could meet up!
Thank you, Chris, for your prompt reply. I am indeed planning to visit the UAE perhaps by next spring. I also have applied for jobs in Japan and UAE because teaching has been my passion too. If I move back to the UAE, then I would definately be applying for jobs in the banking/marketing area. Really keeping my fingers crossed.
Please feel free to drop me a line on my e-mail address. I would very much like to meet you and your family when I vist the UAE. I actually left UAE in 2004 to come back home to Toronto.
Please feel free to contact me whenever you wish to visit Toronto or rather anytime because I really want to be in touch with the city I grew up in.
It is indeed getting chillier here and as you may be aware, we usually hit minus 30 degrees C in winter on an average. So spring or summer may be best time for you.
Please give my kind regards to your family.
Renee.
Hi Chris,
Thanks a lot for all these useful informations and valuable tips. I am getting offered a job in the UAEU and I would like to have my boy (almost 5 years) in Choueifat school. I am trying to call them but nobody is picking up the phone. I may be in Al Ain in June 15, my question is whether my son can have a place for September. Any idea about waiting lists??
Thanks in advance and very best regards
Hi Amine, I’m not sure about waiting lists at Choueifat. I suggest you give them a call. We applied around July I think, and got places for our 2 boys.
Hello, My husband and I will be moving to Al Ain in about a month and I am finding your website very helpful, so thank you!
Do you happen to know if Mr. Eid is still the headmaster at Choueifat? I can’t find any information on their website.
Thank you!
Hi Liz,
I believe he is because he was at the end of April when I went to meet him to invite him as an honoured guest to come to the TEDx conference I was co-organising.
He’s a very friendly guy.
i hope to work in choueifat school in alain telephonist operator i was working 5 years in tv tele liban in lebanon 961-71-273606
My two son one is 7 years and second one is 5 years go to choueifat school. Education is good there but one thing i didn’t like about this school its lack of disipline .i means they didn’t teach children to behave good. whenever i visted choueifat children there are very agressive fighting in there break time and there was no one to stop them.
Hi Farah,
I’m sorry to hear this. I think you’ll find the headmaster will listen to your concerns if you decide to go and talk to him about it.
Chris