3 siblings out of school for a year after father loses job in UAE

Dubai - Yakub and his family could soon be evicted from their apartment in Mirdif for failing to pay the rent.

Three children from an Indian family in Dubai have not attended school for over a year as their father runs from pillar to post to receive his final settlement amount from his former employer. They stopped going to school when they were in Grades 11, 10 and seven.
A resident of the UAE for 23 years, Musthafa Yakub's former company is yet to pay him the Dh551,127 it owes him after he lost his job as a finance manager. Though Yakub officially stopped working for the company in July 2018, his company has not cancelled his visa or paid his final settlement amount.
"This has put me in a severe financial rut. I have been borrowing from friends and family for many months to survive. My children have not gone to school for one full academic year," a tearful Yakub told Khaleej Times. "I filed a case with the labour department and the Dubai Courts in September 2018. In May 2019, a Dubai court ruled in my favour and directed my employer to pay out my final settlement."
Yakub and his family could soon be evicted from their apartment in Mirdif for failing to pay the rent.
Since Yakub and his wife feared that their kids' former school, an O-level school in Dubai, won't hand over their transfer certificates due to unpaid fees, they decided to stop sending them. "I have two sons and a daughter. Now they are a year behind their classmates. How can they go back? I am worried about the psychological impact on them."
What went wrong?
Several of Yakub's colleagues are also in a similar situation. A former employee said on the condition of anonymity: "It's been a year since I left the company. I am yet to receive my end-of-service benefits. Fortunately, I found another job two months ago."
Issues started last year as the firm's assets were taken over by another company. However, the firm that took over the assets told Khaleej Times: "We have only purchased plant and machinery from them and have nothing to do with the employees or the liabilities of the company."
The Consulate General of India was consulted to resolve the issue, but neither the current nor the old management was willing to settle.
Yakub said: "I am really worried about my children's future. I am hoping that my former company will resolve the issue on humanitarian grounds."
dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai