New private schools have capacity of 5,000

Three new private schools will open this week, easing the pressure for places in the emirate. The schools have room for a total of almost 5,000 pupils.The Gems Winchester School and the Gems Wellington International School will follow the British curriculum. The third is the Collegiate American School.The three have enrolled a total of 975 pupils so far. Mohammed Darwish, chief of the regulations and compliance commission at the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), which regulates private schools in Dubai, said the new schools increased the choice available for Dubai's 190,000 schoolchildren. "This has helped offset the current demand for available places at the beginning of this new academic year," Mr Darwish said."The newly opened schools, offering a substantial increase in the number of available seats, are part of KHDA's focus on accessibility." Two Indian-curriculum schools opened last April, offering an extra 4,800 places.