Some friends of mine are teachers at Newton British School and I am appalled by this wild and unfounded allegation of racism. Mrs P., you do not seem to understand that English is an international language and therefore it is quite normal for Australians (or Indians) to speak with an accent. I have personally met many Indian people in Doha and - surprise, surprise! - they do not speak with an English accent, but an Indian one.
Most schools in Doha give new children some kind of entrance test, Mrs P., so Newton British School was not doing anything unusual or immoral. Of course parents are disapppointed if their child is not given a place at a school, but it is ludicrous to suggest that this was all about racism. There are already quite a large number of children at NBS who are from India or Pakistan, so there is no ban or prohibition against Indians. All of the schools in Doha charge fees of different kinds, so by charging a fee for the entrance test Newton British is no worse (or not better) than any other school.
If you thought that it was so wicked and immoral for your poor little 6 year old to be tested, Mrs P., then why did you agree to it in the first place?
Lastly, Mrs P., I think that you will find that some schools, such as Park House and DESS, are racist and prejudiced against Indians because they do indeed make a point of giving school places to children whose parents have British passports. (I think that you will find that many Indians do not have British passports, but perhaps I am mistaken.) Of course Park House and Doha English Speaking School want to have lots of photographs of smiling, white, English-looking children on the school website and in the school magazine and that is why they discriminate against Indians. The sooner you report these racist practices to the SEC the better, Mrs.P.
Some friends of mine are teachers at Newton British School and I am appalled by this wild and unfounded allegation of racism. Mrs P., you do not seem to understand that English is an international language and therefore it is quite normal for Australians (or Indians) to speak with an accent. I have personally met many Indian people in Doha and - surprise, surprise! - they do not speak with an English accent, but an Indian one.
Most schools in Doha give new children some kind of entrance test, Mrs P., so Newton British School was not doing anything unusual or immoral. Of course parents are disapppointed if their child is not given a place at a school, but it is ludicrous to suggest that this was all about racism. There are already quite a large number of children at NBS who are from India or Pakistan, so there is no ban or prohibition against Indians. All of the schools in Doha charge fees of different kinds, so by charging a fee for the entrance test Newton British is no worse (or not better) than any other school.
If you thought that it was so wicked and immoral for your poor little 6 year old to be tested, Mrs P., then why did you agree to it in the first place?
Lastly, Mrs P., I think that you will find that some schools, such as Park House and DESS, are racist and prejudiced against Indians because they do indeed make a point of giving school places to children whose parents have British passports. (I think that you will find that many Indians do not have British passports, but perhaps I am mistaken.) Of course Park House and Doha English Speaking School want to have lots of photographs of smiling, white, English-looking children on the school website and in the school magazine and that is why they discriminate against Indians. The sooner you report these racist practices to the SEC the better, Mrs.P.