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Top MoE official is accused of bypassing law

DUBAI — In an alleged violation of educational bylaws, Khawla Al Moala, Under-Secretary at the Ministry of Education (MoE) and Assistant Under-Secretary at the Educational Department of Dubai Educational Zone (DEZ), has written to DEZ to hold a "private and special" re-test for a student who had failed in the mathematics paper for the ninth stage at Salah Al Dein Adult Education Centre last year.

The student was reportedly abroad when the re-test for the paper was held on June 11 for students who had failed in mathematics.

The under-secretary, as per the letter, exempted the student and asked DEZ to hold a "private" re-test for him, categorising him under a provision of the bylaws which states "students who fail have the right to attend a re-test," even though he failed to attend the re-test on June 11.

Consequent to the under-secretary's letter of exemption, Salem Said Ghobar, Director of DEZ's Adult Education Department, stressed on the need to get in touch with the student to enable him take the re-test.

The under-secretary has also stressed on the importance of conducting the re-test within a week from yesterday, and to relay the result of the exam.

Official sources, however, pointed out that the Department of Adult Education had not taken into account an article in the bylaw stipulating that "any student who does not attend the re-test at any educational stage is considered to be failure even if there is a legal reason for his or her absence."

There is no mention in the bylaws that the under-secretary at the ministry or even the director of Dubai Educational Zone can exemption to a students four months after the re-test had been conducted, and the new school year was already a month old.

• UAE