Pakistan Community Welfare School, Abu Dhabi

Pakistani Community Welfare School (PCWS) is a not-for-profit institute that has been catering to the educational needs of less privileged communities in Abu Dhabi since 1981. The school was founded under the rules and regulations of the Ministry of Education.

Also, the premises of Pakistan Community Welfare School Abu Dhabi was leased by the Municipality of Abu Dhabi under the directives of His Highness Late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan as a special token of his compassion to the Pakistani community.

Initially, the school operated in caravans but moved to its current location in Mussafah in 1996, after which the Pakistan Embassy took charge of its affairs. The school’s building was renovated in 2010. The school can educate around 500 students. Most students are Pakistanis, and some belong to Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

Pakistan Community Welfare School Mussafah follows the National Curriculum of the Federal Board of Pakistan, which is modified to reflect the culture of the UAE. As of now, there are 350 students enrolled in Kindergarten until Grade 8, including students of determination.

PCWS Abu Dhabi has 23 teachers and four teaching assistants. The latest Pakistan Community Welfare School’s ADEK is acceptable. Continue reading this guide by Bayut to learn more.

Enjoying a prime location, PCWS Mussafah is in proximity to several family-friendly communities such as:

• Al Mafraq
• Al Forsan Village
• Mohammed Bin Zayed City

Mohammed Bin Zayed City is the nearest residential area offering a mix of apartments and villas.

Parents looking to settle near the school can consider:

• Apartments for rent near Pakistan Community Welfare School

Pakistan Community Welfare School campus facilities include spacious classrooms, science labs, IT suites, a kindergarten play area, a library, a medical facility, a bookstore, a prayer room and a room reserved for music, arts and drama activities.

Pakistan Community Welfare School location is between Al Yad’ah Street, Al Jidah Street and Al Madaris Street. The school is situated next to Masjid Amina near Mussafah Bus Station.

One can find Shining Star International School, Al Bashair Private School, Al Muntaha School for Secondary Education and The Model School close to PCWS.

The most attractive feature of the Pakistan Community Welfare School UAE is that it offers a quality education program to less privileged students. It is also one of the few Pakistani schools in Abu Dhabi.

Second, Pakistan Community Welfare School runs an extensive parent engagement program vital to students’ productivity at the school. From organising and volunteering for school events to actively participating in classroom learning, parents have numerous ways at their disposal to be a part of their child’s academic journey.

The school has successfully integrated sports and extracurricular activities into the curriculum to ensure the well-rounded development of students. It also works closely with parents and the community to provide the best opportunities for students.

ADEK has worked extensively with schools, parents councils, staff members and policymakers to design effective safety measures to implement once schools reopen for the 2021 – 2022 academic session. Here’s a summary of SOPs to give you a better understanding.

• Those entering the school premises must wear a face mask. KG students are exempted. Students and staff who cannot wear masks due to medical conditions must provide a supportive medical certificate.
• Daily temperature and symptoms screening is recommended before leaving the house. Individuals who exhibit symptoms or feel unwell must stay at home. They must see a doctor for assessment and possible COVID-19 testing if required.
• Individuals aged 16 and above who have completed 28 days following the second dose with a UAE-approved vaccine are authorised to enter the school premises upon presenting their vaccination status on the ALHOSN app.
• Children below 16 are authorised to enter the school premises without vaccination.
• The school shall implement physical distancing of 1 to 2 metres between all individuals.
• Schools may follow three operating models: A full school day, attending on a rotational basis or a blended learning model.
• Schools are authorised to reopen all athletic facilities for use during physical education (PE), extracurricular activities, and for private use by staff outside of regular school hours.
• Schools shall reinstate PE (including swimming) classes and all sports activities, provided they are implemented with the relevant risk mitigation controls in place.
• Whether organised by the school or by an external provider, extracurricular activities shall be permitted for students enrolled in the school only.
• Events within the school consisting of large assemblies mixing different student groups are not permitted.
• School trips, holiday camps and inter-school events shall be resumed.
• Cooking on the school premises is authorised and schools are recommended to reopen canteens if they were previously closed. However, food must be served by a designated staff member to avoid sharing serving utensils.
• Prayer rooms may be reopened.
• Schools are recommended to reopen libraries if they were previously closed.
• Bus capacity has been increased from 50% to between 59% and 66%.

PCWS School Mussafah has divided the classes into three sections.

Pakistan Community Welfare School follows the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE) curriculum.

Students in Grade 1 and 2 are exposed to a project-based environment while learning English, Maths and Science lessons.

From Grade 3 and above, students are taught teacher-specific subjects. Your child will be offered a broad range of subjects, including English, Maths, Science, Languages, Geography, History, ICT, Art, PE and Design and Technology. Along with this, students have regular assemblies with their Heads of Year.

As per the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) instructions, all schools across the UAE will discontinue distance learning from January 2022.

The Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) was formed in 2005 with the vision to improve the capital’s education sector. The agency is responsible for inspecting and supervising both private and public schools in Abu Dhabi.

ADEK’s Irtiqaa Programme involves schools in Abu Dhabi getting inspected periodically. The body rates schools based on six parameters: quality of teaching and assessment, curriculum, students’ achievement, students’ social development, leadership and management, and care and guidance provided to children.

The picture below explains the six-point scale ranging from outstanding to very weak.

Currently, the Pakistan Community Welfare School ADEK rating is acceptable. The school is working on its weak areas to improve the rating.

According to the Irtiqaa report, the school aims to produce well-rounded individuals by providing a caring and well-resourced learning environment. Children are provided with a stimulating ambience in the Foundation Stage to assist the learning process.

Furthermore, facilities and extracurricular activities successfully provoke a student’s interest in non-academic fields. The school culture is stimulating and interactive. This allows teachers and staff members to share their knowledge and experience with students all year round.

Pakistan Community Welfare School in Mussafah needs to work on Islamic Education, Arabic Studies and Social Studies. Students were found with below-average Arabic reading and writing skills that hamper their overall academic performance.

Similarly, the school needs to improve the teaching strategies and criteria by making better use of assessment data, providing high-quality feedback, encouraging students to take responsibility, providing more constructive activities to KG students and developing skills of middle leadership.

The academic calendar at Pakistan Community Welfare School starts in April and ends in March. You will find the official calendar marked with important dates such as exams, school events, national holidays and Islamic holidays.

• The first term starts in the second week of April and ends in the first week of July, followed by a 2-month summer holiday.
• The second term resumes in the last week of August and ends in the second week of December, followed by a 3-week winter vacation.
• The third term resumes in the first week of January and ends in the last week of March, followed by a 2-week spring break.

Pakistan Community Welfare School timings are as follows:

• Kindergarten section: 07:45 am to 12:00 pm.
• Grade 1 to Grade 8: 07:45 am to 01:50 pm.

For further convenience, the Pakistani Welfare School has teachers available on the ground from 07:20 am before the school officially starts. Similarly, teachers supervise students who stay late after school until 02:30 pm. However, parents are suggested to pick up children on time.

The admission process at Pakistan Community Welfare School starts on February 15 for all grades. Parents can either download the application form from the school website or visit the school and collect the same from the administration office.

Once you have collected the application form, make an appointment with the admission officer or the registrar for the entrance exam. On the day of the assessment, you must bring a filled-in application form along with the following documents:

• Four passport size, recent, coloured photos of the student.  
• Coloured copy of the birth certificate translated into Arabic or English. (Must be attested from Embassy of Foreign Affairs if issued from outside of UAE)
• Coloured passport copy of the student (first, second, and valid visa page) 
• Coloured passport copy of the Father (first, second, and valid visa page) 
• Coloured Emirates ID copy for the student (If not ready), please submit a stamped registering application.
• Copy of vaccination certificate.
• Water and Electricity bill/ or Premises
• In the case of transfer (from outside UAE), you must bring the original result card and school leaving certificate (Attested):
  • Attestation from home country:
    • District or Education Officer (DEO)
    • Ministry of foreign affairs (Pakistan)
  • Attestation from UAE:
    • Embassy of origin country
    • Ministry of Foreign Affairs of UAE

After admission is granted to your child/children, parents must pay the registration fee, which is 5% of the annual tuition fee. Note that the registration deposit is non-refundable but will be adjusted against the first term’s fee.

Before enrollment, parents must ensure that their child meets the following age placement guidelines.

This is based on the age of the students on 31st March (for schools beginning in April). Source: ADEK

* This is to cater to students transferring from systems that admit students of a younger age)

The fee structure at Pakistan Community Welfare School remains consistent for all grades. The annual charges are as follows:

There are a few terms and conditions that parents should be aware of, including:

• The registration fee is 5% of the tuition fee and is non-refundable. It will be adjusted against the first term fees.
• Pakistan Community School must charge parents a fee in a minimum of three instalments.
• The school is prohibited from receiving any financial guarantee or deposit from parents or guardians to enrol their child/children, even if the same is refundable.

Even though the school fails to mention whether they provide catering or cafeteria services, PCWS School Abu Dhabi is clear on nutritious food being allowed on the school premises.

According to the parent handbook:

• No fizzy drinks or difficult to open containers should be given to students
• Chewing gum is strictly not allowed 
• Parents must take permission from the school administration before bringing any food from outside for birthday parties and other events.
• Healthy foods like sandwiches, juices, fruit and milk are recommended.

Transportation facilities are available when you are enrolled in Pakistan Community Welfare School. It’s unclear whether the bus services have been outsourced or whether the school provides transport. Annual charges for transportation are AED 1,650.

Interested parents are requested to visit the school administration office and fill in the application form to decide on pick-up and drop-off points. All the buses are well-equipped and air-conditioned to ensure a safe commute for students.

PCWS in Abu Dhabi offers basic sports facilities such as an indoor play area, a large field outside and activity areas for kindergarten students.

Pakistan Community Welfare School Mussafah Abu Dhabi takes special care of activities and projects that students can participate in to improve their academic and non-academic performance.

Your child can sign up for the following extracurricular and co-curricular activities.

Pakistan Community Welfare School in Abu Dhabi strives to find ways to improve and enrich the curriculum. Therefore, school trips are arranged frequently to carry on with the learning outside the classrooms. At the same time, students enjoy a break from a hectic routine.

According to the school website, children have visited heritage sites, petting zoos, libraries, science festivals and various tourist attractions in Abu Dhabi.

PCWS in Mussafah appoints teachers to look after students who stay back after the scheduled time. The service is available until 02:30 pm.

Pakistan Welfare School has a medical facility with experienced staff to treat minor injuries and provide first-aid care.

Pakistani Community School also mentions that:

• Parents are requested to kindly inspect their child’s hair for head lice every two weeks. 
• Sick children with cough, fever and runny nose should be kept at home to avoid the spread of infections.

Aligned with the school’s vision, the Pakistan Community Welfare School of Abu Dhabi has a parental engagement programme. Since PCWS believes that parents are the first source of knowledge for children, their involvement in their child’s academic development is highly essential.

Therefore, parents will find multiple ways at PCWS School to engage and participate in various school events. The first and foremost step is parent-teacher meetings held at least once a term to discuss the students’ current academic and non-academic performance. The meeting results in mutually beneficial decisions regarding maintaining or improving the student’s overall performance.

Besides this, Parent Volunteer Programs are active throughout the year. Under this initiative, parents and guardians can be a:

• Reading Helper: The volunteers will be in the classroom and interact at a 1 to 1 level with students to help them read in groups or individually for subjects like English, Urdu or Arabic. Visits will be weekly or biweekly.
• Maths Helper: Volunteers will be required to assist students in Math classes. Concerned teachers will guide parents regarding materials and the schedule of classes.
• Club Helper: The school offers a variety of clubs on Thursday. Parents should select a club they want to volunteer in and be present on the school premises by 12:00 pm.
• Event Helper: The volunteers’ presence and assistance will be accordingly based on scheduled school events and activities. The school will contact you in advance in this case.
• Trip Volunteer: Volunteers will be required to escort the students on the educational trips. Trip dates will be shared with the volunteers in advance.
• Calligraphy/Handwriting Development: Volunteers must make at least three consecutive visits to the classroom in either English or Urdu classes to assist students in handwriting development.

You can find the application form for the Parent Volunteer Program here.

Besides this, parents have access to a parent handbook featuring information about the school and other policies followed at PCW School. Likewise, communication between parents and teachers can be conducted via the school diary, newsletter, school website, formal visits, workshops and Class Dojo.

Last, the below section provides Pakistan Community Welfare School contact details for you to book an appointment. Also, social media links keep you updated about the new events at the school.

• Telephone Number: +971-2-553-0532
• Email:
  • General Enquiries: pcws777@gmail.com
• PCWS Website
• PCWS Facebook