His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, has directed the Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA) not to charge Sudanese students at Sudan Private School any tuition fees and to refund all amounts already collected from their families.

The directive followed a complaint by a parent on the “Direct Line” radio programme. The parent said that although the school had been established with the support of the Ruler of Sharjah to provide free education, families were asked to pay tuition fees after one year. They were also reportedly told that students’ certificates would be withheld until outstanding amounts and fees for the current academic year were paid.

Sheikh Sultan explained that Sudan Private School was established specifically for Sudanese families living in Sharjah who could not afford to enrol their children in other schools. He said the Sharjah Government covers the school’s operating costs, teachers’ salaries and other expenses, and that parents were never meant to be charged.

The Ruler of Sharjah said SPEA had apparently introduced what it described as “nominal fees”, but stressed that even a seemingly small amount could be a significant burden for families facing financial hardship. He instructed the authority not to collect any fees, “whether small or large”, from the students and to refund all money already received.

Sheikh Sultan also said he personally monitors the school’s situation on an ongoing basis. He added that teachers’ performance is closely supervised. Any teacher who physically assaults a student will be dismissed, while teachers whose performance falls below the required standard will first receive training and an opportunity to improve. If their performance remains inadequate, they will be removed from the school.

The report did not specify the amount of tuition fees collected from families or provide a timeline or mechanism for issuing the refunds.