There has been a suggestion that a Choueifat school might be a suitable school for some children. Maybe this depends on your definitions of "child" and "education".
I have never taught at a Choueifat school, but I have talked to several teachers who have had that misfortune. Some of my colleagues have taught in one of these schools. I have also talked to many of my students who used to go to these schools before they left and went to a proper school.
First of all, many of the "teachers" at these so-called Choueifat "schools" are not really teachers at all. They are not graduates and they do not have proper teaching certification. Of course the SABIS "schools" prefer to hire people who are not properly qualified, so that they can pay them less. At a recruitment fair, one principal of a SABIS school admitted to one of my colleagues, in an unguarded monet, that they only wanted to hire unqualified staff because proper teachers nearly always disagreed with the SABIS system.
Secondly, Choueifat "schools" do not permit the parents to speak directly to the parents. My guess is that they do not want the parents to find out how uneducated their children's teachers really are. Another possibility might be that the Choueifat "teachers" are just too lazy and cannot be bothered to speak to their pupils' parents.
Thirdly, good schools want to "stretch" the abilities of their most able students and give support to those students who are struggling. (This is usually called "differentiation".) In fact, this is against SABIS rules and teachers who do not stick rigidly to their instructions will be disciplined or sacked. If it says that you must be on page 33 of your SABIStextbook at 11.30 on Monday morning, then you had better make sure that you are on page 33, not page 32 to page 34!
Fourthly, the SABIS schools must use the SABIS curriculum materials and textbooks. These are often dull, outdated, inaccurate and uninspiring. Of course, sensible schools buy the best (and most appropriate) teaching materials they can find and they are not restricted to only one set of materials. You cannot buy SABIS teaching materials in any bookshop, probably because they are trash and no one wants to buy them.
Fifthly, teachers in Choueifat schools are ordered by their superiors to discourage the students from asking questions, thinking for themselves and in any way disagreeing with anything their teachers may tell them. This is not education: this is indoctrination and brain-washing.
Sixthly, my Muslim friends tell me that the Qu'ran says that each child is the unique and special handiwork of Our Creator, so it is rather a pity that those in charge of the SABIS "schools" seem to know little or nothing about Islam. The Choueifat system seems to be designed to crush a child's individuality and creativity, rather than nurture and develop it.
The last time I wrote about the SABIS system, no one challeneged my comments. No one claimed that the Choueifat teachers really are well trained, qualified and certified graduates from good universities. No one said that the Choueifat teachers really are allowed to speak to the parents. And, last but by no means least, no one has ever told me that their child is HAPPY at a Choueifat school.
There has been a suggestion that a Choueifat school might be a suitable school for some children. Maybe this depends on your definitions of "child" and "education".
I have never taught at a Choueifat school, but I have talked to several teachers who have had that misfortune. Some of my colleagues have taught in one of these schools. I have also talked to many of my students who used to go to these schools before they left and went to a proper school.
First of all, many of the "teachers" at these so-called Choueifat "schools" are not really teachers at all. They are not graduates and they do not have proper teaching certification. Of course the SABIS "schools" prefer to hire people who are not properly qualified, so that they can pay them less. At a recruitment fair, one principal of a SABIS school admitted to one of my colleagues, in an unguarded monet, that they only wanted to hire unqualified staff because proper teachers nearly always disagreed with the SABIS system.
Secondly, Choueifat "schools" do not permit the parents to speak directly to the parents. My guess is that they do not want the parents to find out how uneducated their children's teachers really are. Another possibility might be that the Choueifat "teachers" are just too lazy and cannot be bothered to speak to their pupils' parents.
Thirdly, good schools want to "stretch" the abilities of their most able students and give support to those students who are struggling. (This is usually called "differentiation".) In fact, this is against SABIS rules and teachers who do not stick rigidly to their instructions will be disciplined or sacked. If it says that you must be on page 33 of your SABIStextbook at 11.30 on Monday morning, then you had better make sure that you are on page 33, not page 32 to page 34!
Fourthly, the SABIS schools must use the SABIS curriculum materials and textbooks. These are often dull, outdated, inaccurate and uninspiring. Of course, sensible schools buy the best (and most appropriate) teaching materials they can find and they are not restricted to only one set of materials. You cannot buy SABIS teaching materials in any bookshop, probably because they are trash and no one wants to buy them.
Fifthly, teachers in Choueifat schools are ordered by their superiors to discourage the students from asking questions, thinking for themselves and in any way disagreeing with anything their teachers may tell them. This is not education: this is indoctrination and brain-washing.
Sixthly, my Muslim friends tell me that the Qu'ran says that each child is the unique and special handiwork of Our Creator, so it is rather a pity that those in charge of the SABIS "schools" seem to know little or nothing about Islam. The Choueifat system seems to be designed to crush a child's individuality and creativity, rather than nurture and develop it.
The last time I wrote about the SABIS system, no one challeneged my comments. No one claimed that the Choueifat teachers really are well trained, qualified and certified graduates from good universities. No one said that the Choueifat teachers really are allowed to speak to the parents. And, last but by no means least, no one has ever told me that their child is HAPPY at a Choueifat school.