El Gouna school info

[garylockwood]

Hi everybody. Does anyone have a child at the school or know any that go to the school? We are hoping to come out there soon specifically to see the school and meet the staff and have a chat about getting a place for our two kids but we would love to more as much about it from anybody who knows anything about it. We were hoping to go to Sharm but the schools there only cater for kids up to 14 and then you have to go elsewhere. Also, there is a shortage of teenagers so there is very little interaction between kids of that age. We've heard of El Gouna school and it has a fantastic reputation and is well established but we know little about the school or the area so we are doing a bit of research about Hurghada and El Gouna. Can anyone give a bit of info please. Many thanks, Gary

[HAPPY's Hurghada]

Hi Gary,

I've heard mixed reviews about El Gouna school. When speaking to parents from other western European countries, and with younger children, the reviews are outstanding.

However when speaking to parents from the UK, with older children in particular, the reviews are not so great, considering the price factor. Many of the UK parents complain that the standards are below what they would expect in the UK, and don't consider it worth the expensive fees they are requiring. I've heard complaints that the students are scoring below average on the National exams when compared to students attending school in the UK "FOR FREE". I guess the British know what standards of education should be for a British education compared to other Europeans, who don't have the same complaints.

From my understanding, many parents have removed their children and opted for homeschooling them. As an American who knows the standards of the American education system, I have to admit the same issues with my own daughter, who is 15 and currently being homeschooled through a distant learning course offered by a school in America. Many other American parents in Egypt who intend to send their children back to universities in America have done the same. We have found the schools here "Egypt" simply don't prepare our children for a university education in our home country. Of course if you intend to allow you child to attend a university in Egypt, then the standards would be quite different.

Some European and Egyptians tend to measure the success of a good school on how well their children learn to speak English with an "American of British" accent, when the reality is that this is not a true measure of quality education from Native English speakers, who know that "Good" universities in their country require much higher standards.

So of course, you must first consider if your children are University prone, and ask the administrators of the school relevant questions, such as what is the "average score" graduates of their program are receiving on national exams such as the SAT, IGCSE, and A levels and then compare those scores to the average scores of students at home.

If the scores are significantly lower, then you may want to reconsider shelling out too much of an investment in schooling them here. Sometimes schools here can cost more than some Universities in American and the UK charge.

[jsg4535]

I live in El gouna and my son is going to attend the school here this fall in Foundation 2. I was wondering what homeschool program you are using. I have looked into a few back in the states and was wondering how it all was working out for u.

Thanks