UAE plan for closer parent-teacher communication

Abu Dhabi, Oct 17 (IANS) Parents in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) would soon receive text messages on their mobile phones from their children's schools if their wards play truant, under a government plan for closer parents-teacher communication.

The information project will cover all public and private schools as part of a plan being studied by the education ministry, Khaleej Times reported Friday.

According to the plan, text messaging will be used by school authorities to inform parents about the details of their children's progress in studies, exam results, attendance and all related matters.

Rashid Al Nuaimi, general manager in the ministry, had earlier said officials were studying a project to set up a call centre that would facilitate communication among the ministry, schools and parents.

K. Rajiv, general manager of Sharjah-based Good Luck Systems Co., which has developed the project, said the new system would monitor the students movements and progress and update the parents.

'We offer a new software featured with facilities for back-to-back communication between the parents and the school to ensure that every child is disciplined,' Rajiv said.

The company will provide the system for free to the ministry.

'We will provide training to teachers and administrative staff of schools without charging any fees,' Rajiv said.

The parents will have to pay fees for membership to the information serviceUAE schoio.