Dubai's Oasis School Set to Close In June 2016

WhichSchoolAdvisor.com has learned that the inclusive model Oasis School in Al Safa, Dubai is scheduled for closure in its 'current form' as it transitions to a Learning Development Centre. Oasis will no longer be a categorised as a "school". In total 70% of the school's current population require SEN support, leaving 30% of students who will need to move. Parents of children affected are receiving full support from Oasis and the KHDA to ensure this happens smoothly, WhichSchoolAdvisor.com was told in an email from Oasis. The email also noted the student population that remains "will continue in the same classes with the same teachers in September 2016", although it is not clear how long it will remain in its current location. Parents at the school received confirmation of Oasis' change in status in a letter on Tuesday. As a learning centre Oasis will move under the authority of the Ministry of Social Affairs. The letter stated, "as one of the first and only schools teaching mainstream and SEN students under one roof we served a very specific need in the community. The wide acceptance of the inclusive model and the quantity of large ultra-modern schools has fundamentally altered the primary education market in Dubai. "After careful consultations with the KHDA, and due to the wide availability of SEN services in mainstream schools, the decision has been made to transform the Oasis School at the end of the 2015/16 Academic year into a Learning and Development Centre under the Ministry of Social Affairs (MOSA)." The letter continues, "to continue to serve those with special needs and learning difficulties, we finalised the application to the Ministy of Social Affairs licensing to continue our therapy and learning development services at another location." "Information on the launch of the new Oasis Learning Therapy Center will be forthcoming," the letter concludes. The British curriculum school currently offers tuition for students in Foundation to Year 6, with fees between Dhs 35,244 and Dhs 42,910. The school was originally known as the Universal Academy of Excellence and is owned by Dubai Education.