When you first learn about Far Eastern Private School Halwan, something catches your attention: the waiting lists, not the size of the campus or the summary of the curriculum. Most parents are relieved to find a seat in a city full of educational options. They’re waiting in line for one here. Even before you take a close look at what the school actually offers, that says something.
2020 saw the opening of Far Eastern Private School Halwan, the second location of the first FEPS school in Al Shahba, Sharjah. One of the first Filipino schools to establish a significant, long-term presence in the United Arab Emirates, the parent institution has been in operation since 2001. The Al Shahba campus had simply run out of room to accommodate the increasing demand, so the Halwan branch was created more out of necessity than ambition. It’s not a marketing strategy when a school grows because too many families want to enroll. That’s a signal to be aware of.
From kindergarten through grade 12, the school uses the Philippine curriculum. That is a big deal for Filipino expat families living in the United Arab Emirates. Before a family moves, children educated under the Philippine system at home don’t have to start over. They don’t fall behind. For this specific community, there is a continuity that international schools that follow American or British curricula just cannot match, and FEPS has recognized this from the start.
The school, which is owned and run by Ahmed Alansaari and Maria Teresa Sales Alansaari, is situated in a neighborhood that has spent more than 20 years fostering trust with Filipino families throughout the Northern Emirates. The Sharjah Private Education Authority, the UAE Ministry of Education, and the Department of Education in Manila all recognize it. It’s a multi-layered form of credibility, with a direct link to the Philippine educational system that parents are familiar with and depend on, in addition to local approval.
Beyond curriculum alignment and recognition certificates, the Halwan campus offers more. The school offers transportation services, which are frequently the deciding factor for working parents in Sharjah rather than just a convenience. Science labs, ICT suites, libraries, a medical room, and sports areas are among the facilities. All of this is typical for a private school in the United Arab Emirates, but FEPS stands out due to its Filipino curriculum and affordable tuition that doesn’t force families to reconsider their entire spending plan.
The day-to-day differences between the Halwan campus and Al Shahba are still unknown. The two run concurrently, and the school’s overall identity—academic discipline, Filipino cultural values, and community belonging—permeates both. However, Al Halwan seems to stand for more than just a second location. It symbolizes a school system that is self-assured enough in its design to be replicated.
One of the biggest expat populations in the United Arab Emirates is the Filipino community. Many of these families are trying to maintain some aspects of home while creating something new, navigating life between two cultures, and raising children far from extended family. It is difficult to quantify the importance of a school that truly closes that gap, not only symbolically but also through language, curriculum, and community. It’s evident in the way parents discuss the school. Not always with flawless reviews, but with a loyalty that surpasses specific grievances.
Far Eastern Private School Halwan does not aim to compete with the elite campuses serving diplomatic families or the international schools on Sheikh Zayed Road. Serving a community in need over an extended period of time is a more focused and perhaps more difficult task. The original school is still standing after twenty-four years. The waiting lists are still being created. Even though it is still relatively new, the Halwan campus is already going in the same direction.
