Trouble for CBSE-i students in Oman

Muscat: Students at one of the schools run under the ‘Central Board of Secondary Education-International’ (CBSE-i) system face a dilemma trying to shift to the standard CBSE curriculum in Oman.
The CBSE-i run school has effected a change in its academic year, extending it until June. In the case of Indian Schools running under the CBSE curriculum, the new academic year will start in April. As a result, there is an overlap of two months for students wanting to shift.
“We are really worried because the school has suddenly extended its academic year until June, so we now have to pay the fourth term fees as well if we want the pass certificate. Also, this has happened in the middle of the academic year,” said a parent.
“We have been put to a great deal of trouble anyway since we were told that our children will not be able to continue with the CBSE-i curriculum. Now this change in the term-end has given us another headache. Our children will suffer because of this sudden change.”
As per a circular issued by the CBSE in India, the CBSE-affiliated schools outside India that were authorised to offer the CBSE-i curriculum have now been instructed to discontinue teaching it. There were three such schools in Oman.
An estimated 1,000 Indian students following the CBSE-i syllabus in Oman in the three schools were affected by the decision by the CBSE decision.
Wilson George, the Chairman of the Indian Schools in Oman, has advised parents that they need to apply before February 15 if they want to get admission to one of the Indian Schools run under the CBSE.
“Parents need to apply for admissions now if they wish to join the Indian Schools run under the board. They can approach the Ministry of Education to help them with offsetting the academic year terms.”
“My children are studying in a CBSE-I school and their academic year gets over by June, whereas the Indian Schools under the CBSE will start the academic year by April. This is causing a lot of stress to us parents,” said another parent.
“They are saying that they will give a pass certificate only on June 14. At the parent committee, established by the parents of the students of the school, we are trying to talk to the director of the school and the Indian Embassy in Oman so that we can get pass certificates by March.”
The Times of Oman had recently reported that more than 2,000 students face uncertainty over whether they will get admission in a school of their choice as the Indian School board has received more than 5,000 applications for fewer than 3,000 seats this year.
“As per the news report, 5,000 students or more have already applied to the Indian Schools for fewer than 3,000 seats. So, I don’t know if our children will get admission. The students at another private school run under the CBSE-i are being taken in by one of the Indian Schools and so we want one branch to take up our kids as well,” the parent added.