Education in the United Arab Emirates

Although quite admirably, the UAE leadership across decades has been consistent in pushing the country's population to enjoy the state benefit of free education for Emiratis, the quality of education more than 20 years ago was reportedly substandard and undersubscribed, but not anymore at this time.

 

Education in the UAE in the beginning was reported to be a takeoff from the Egyptian educational system. Years back, the student intake was not as expected and the graduates did not excel as desired. The educational facilities made available during those past years and the teaching methodologies and resource materials of faculty members, all contributed to a negative review of the former state of education in the UAE.

 

Up until two decades ago, the state of education in the United Arab Emirates left much to be desired. Public education particularly received much criticism. Not just a few blogs had been written describing the poor condition of UAE public education by its very products who have seen in foreign shores what quality education is like. No wonder the trend then was for affluent families to send their adolescent children to study in high-standard schools abroad, mostly in the US and the UK for their college education and for higher studies. No wonder some, particularly in the past generation, have become westernized in their ways of thinking and doing things, and some have chosen not to return home anymore to practice their profession or to do business. This went against the grain of the UAE government’s resolve to preserve their customs and traditions and to push for emiratisation.

 

Then came 2005, and the education czar of the UAE, Sheikh Nayhan bin Mubarak al Nahyan, planned on a radical reform of the entire education system of his country. An ambitious plan of this Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, to throw away old ways of doing things with the adoption of new curriculums and other materials, the construction of facilities, the training of teachers, and the adoption of other pro-educational upliftment measures, found its way into public education.

 

His sharp criticism of practically all aspects of the UAE public education system of his youth which up till he assumed office as education minister had not changed much triggered in the man a firm resolve to revamp the UAE’s education system and to make way for modern provisions that would approximate the standards of the evolving new ways of living. His own words of criticism on the old system showed the gravity of the problem: "Exam papers are poor and do not evaluate students' achievement. The entire teaching and evaluation systems are appalling. They allow every student to pass whether he or she studied or not."

 

Sheikh Nayhan bin Mubarak al Nahyan, and the rest of the leadership pushed for massive educational reforms, seeking to overhaul what needed to be overhauled and to build what needed to be built.

 

 

An aggregation of what everyone wanted done to the UAE education is represented by all these:

 

1 borderless knowledge

2 quality research facilities

3 available higher-education facilities

4 readiness and engagement, focusing primarily on the use of technology in the classroom

5 enhancement of literacy rate throughout the country

6 digital literacy skills of teachers and educators across the region

7 provision of educational investment to create advanced learning opportunities for students

8 offer of the best courses for students in universities, the popular and in-demand ones and which are recognized worldwide

9 putting up of universities and colleges in many parts of the country and hubs of schools / colleges / universities in major cities like Dubai, Abu Dhabi

10 government infusion of major investments in education for world-class education system

11 upgrade of education to match the standard of living which after the 80s have spiraled upward

12 upgrade of education to match the best universities of the world such that Emirati parents need no longer send their children abroad to study

 

The above goals were acted upon through the UAE government’s comprehensive program of reform on the education system of the country.

 

The result?

 

The UAE government comprehensively reformed the country’s education system in the last two decades, and today, the UAE is already in a position to offer world-class education in its premium universities. It took care of infrastructure requirements and provided school amenities all over the country. More schools were built in the various emirates. Avenues for technical education were enhanced. Teacher training was done in order to make the school faculty competitive with their counterparts in other countries. The curriculums were also overhauled and new resource materials were introduced.

 

One news report says: “The UAE education sector is witnessing the next phase of expansion to prepare the young generation for the manpower needs of the huge industrial projects in the region by increasing the number of facilities available.”

 

By now, even more campuses are being constructed all over the country, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah.

 

Along with huge infusions of government budget into education came a rise in public school student intake. The government’s program of emiratisation which gives preference to the hiring of Emiratis in both public and private offices, particularly in certain identified sectors, further lent strength to the determination to upgrade education throughout the UAE. The government also made sure that they had information on the best courses to offer in synch with the growth in industries. Higher education by this time offers courses that suit industry demands, and the students are trained in school to meet standards at places of work. The move to push for educational reforms with a view to approximating industry demands and world standards is necessary in recognition of the role of education in the development of the UAE.

 

Today there stands what is called the Dubai Academic City in Al Ruwayyah and also the Dubai International Academic City near Al Ruwayyah along the Dubai-Al Ain Road in this most modernized emirate where not only Emiratis but also children of expatriates send their children for good-quality education. Both of these educational complexes have been developed to serve as a base for schools, colleges and universities. Much earlier, back in 2006, the so-called Knowledge Village was built near the Internet City. The Knowledge Village houses training institutes and educational service organizations.

 

The multi-ethnic fabric of today’s UAE population, particularly in Dubai, necessitated the development of international campuses which offer the best courses in the world. The Dubai International Academic City and the now strong presence of international schools mostly perusing British and American curriculums have so far succeeded in gaining the satisfaction of expat families in the quality of education now made available to their children. This has likewise managed to slow down the sending abroad for higher education of children from affluent families. This augurs well for the Emirati society, with deep impact in the perpetuation of family ties and preserving much-valued Emirati culture and passing on of these from generation to generation.

 

Schools that have world-class educational standards now abound in the United Arab Emirates, especially in Dubai. A good number of them are foreign institutions and follow mostly either British or American curriculum and system. International schools generally have steeper tuition fees than all other schools as is the case in other countries. But at least their availability in the UAE is sparing parents from having to budget more to send their kids abroad to acquire education of international quality. More than these, the valued Emirati traditions now stand a better chance to be preserved among the youth. It is only public education which is free but only among Emiratis.

The list of the best schools today in the United Arab Emirates is long, so only a handful can be cited here. The first list consists of a few high-standard schools that cater to primary education, some to the secondary level, some to both levels. The second list consists of some of the best universities offering higher education, whether undergraduate, postgraduate, or both. A few of these schools are located in the Knowledge Village.

 

Primary and Secondary Education

Emirates International School – offers both primary and secondary education

Jumeirah English School – primary school

Dubai English School – primary

English College – both primary and secondary

Jebel Ali Primary – primary

Sharjah English School – primary

Jumeirah English College – primary

Jebel Ali English College – offers secondary education

Dubai College – caters to secondary level

Higher Education

 

American University of Sharjah – offers 21 bachelor's degrees, 21 minors and six graduate certificate programs in four faculties: arts and sciences, architecture and design, business and management, and engineering

 

New York Institute of Technology – with branches in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, this institution has computer science and business administration courses, among others

 

Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland – offers postgraduate education, training and consulting in various business fields

 

Canadian University of Dubai – offers college education with degrees such as architecture, software engineering, tourism and business

Mahatma Gandhi University of Dubai – offers both undergraduate and postgraduate information technology and computer application degrees, today’s highly in-demand courses; it also offers business administration and commerce courses

 

American University in Dubai – also offers information technology and business administration, and also modern courses such as visual communication, fashion and liberal arts, interior design, as well as English proficiency courses

 

Angecon Dubai – offers both undergraduate and postgraduate business degrees, including international tourism management

 

And the list goes on as many foreign universities have set up branches in the United Arab Emirates and the Emirati government continues to build more homegrown schools which have adopted world-class educational standards.

 

The Internet generously offers information on these schools, and more, to enable parents, both locals and expatriates, to make early educational decisions for their children. Education is crucial in the chances for success of individuals and so, high educational standards must be maintained, whether in schools for the affluent or for ordinary income earners. Quality education need not be expensive all the time, at least, not so in the UAE--these days.