Education, study, and schools in Dubai - parent and student information
In our opinion, it is essential that you physically visit the nursery, school, college, or university before your children sign up to study in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or other UAE emirates. A first-hand impression and your instincts could be worth far more than any research you do on the internet, or advice you receive from an educational consultant. If you live overseas, flying to Dubai to visit the institute should be a worthwhile investment. If you cannot do that, then try harder. If you still cannot make a visit, then try and find a trusted friend or relative living in the UAE to go on your behalf (no, mynewbestfriend338 that you met online last week doesn't count).
Like most places, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and the other emirates in the UAE have a wide range of schools ranging from ones
that students hate to ones they simply dislike intensely. Homework is
almost always given in sufficient quantities so that students begin to
see child slavery as an appealing alternative, and a wheelbarrow for
all their textbooks would be a very useful purchase. School buses are
warm enough in the summer heat so that if your wee darlings bring food
with them,
it
will arrive at school cooked to perfection.
Having said all that, not to worry. It is possible to find buses with
reasonable air conditioning and smaller books. Generally, you get what
you pay for. Kindergarten and primary school students will usually have
a great educational experience. Secondary school students will complain
like they do anywhere.
One of the great things about education and schooling in Dubai is the
opportunity to meet students from a variety of countries and cultures
and form
valuable life-long friendships with
them, as well as gaining a much greater global awareness compared to reading
a social studies book in your home country. This effect is of course
lessened if children attend a school with predominantly one nationality
eg the Icelandic school of snowmobile maintenance and walrus wrestling
(with apologies to any Icelanders reading this). Focus on the benefits
of getting educated in a Dubai or other UAE school, and it will be a great time and a highly memorable experience. But do investigate
carefully where you're going before packing up, so you don't wind up
in an intolerable situation.
Abu Dhabi and Dubai have the greatest number of schools, unsurprisingly, and Sharjah and Al Ain also have a reasonable range of schools but it's harder to find a good one. The smaller emirates of Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah, and Ras Al Khaimah have a limited number of options, and some parents living in those emirates opt to send their children to schools in one of larger cities.
School opening dates 2010-2011
Summer holidays for schools in the UAE will start later and finish later than normal since Ramadan 2010 runs from mid August to early September 2010. The Eid Al Fitr holidays start when Ramadan is finished (UAE Ministry of Education circular issued to schools 26 February 2010).
- UAE private and public (government) schools will end the 2009-2010 academic year and close on Sunday 11 July 2010.
- UAE schools opening date for the 2010-2011 Academic Year will be Tuesday 14 September 2010 after the Eid holiday.
- Indian, Pakistani, and Iranian schools with academic years that run from April to March will still close and open on those dates for summer hols.
Schools in Dubai, Abu Dhabi & other emirates in the UAE
For expats, children will often go to a private school catering
to whatever nationality and qualification preference you have, or an
international school with a more mixed student body. There are American
and British curriculum schools of course. But there are
also Arabic, Australian, French, German, Indian, Iranian, Japanese,
Russian etc curriculum schools
based in
Dubai and the UAE. Some of these schools are governed by the embassy
of that country (a total of 18 in the UAE in 2006).
The name of the school won't tell you very much on its own.
It is not unusual for schools in Dubai with Indian curriculums to be
called
an
English
school
of some
sort.
Dubai
and UAE
schools with
an Arabic sounding name eg Al Khubairat School will not necessarily have
an
Arabic
curriculum. Dubai schools with an international sounding name could well be solely
Arabic or Indian curriculum schools. Schools in the UAE with French sounding
names will
be French though. Which, in an odd way, is quite surprising.
Some names will sound a little odd. The Little Flock English
School for example obviously had admirable intentions but unfortunately
it sounds like an angry father had a hand in the naming process.
Ages and equivalent grades can vary a little. Some schools will have
Year 13 as the final year (usually British curriculum schools), but other schools will call it grade 12 (usually American curriculum schools).
A rough guide is in the table below.
| |
elementary / primary school |
|
| |
high / secondary school |
| System |
Age |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
17 |
| American |
Grade |
|
KG1 |
KG2 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
| British |
Year |
FS1 |
FS2 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
| National Curriculum (UK) |
KS0 |
KS1 |
KS2 |
KS3 |
KS4 |
KS5 |
| Indian |
Class / Grade |
|
|
|
I |
II |
III |
IV |
V |
VI |
VII |
VIII |
IX |
X |
XI |
XII |
| International |
Grade |
|
KG1 |
KG2 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
- Age in years is for student at the start of the academic year - about 01 September for most schools in the UAE, 01 April for Indian and Pakistani schools. In the rest of the world, northern hemisphere schools start the academic year in August/September, southern hemisphere schools in January/February.
- Years 12 and 13 in the British system might also be referred to as Lower Sixth Form and Upper Sixth Form
- There is some overlap between where a junior school ends and a senior school starts - different schools have different start and end points.
- Terms often used in reference to school levels are:
- Elementary School - a US term for a school for students aged about 4 to 12 years.
- High School - a school for students aged 11 to 17 years.
- Infant School - usually the first years of a UK primary school
- Junior School - the later years of a UK primary school
- Middle School - US intermediate school between elementary and high schools
- Nursery - for young children / toddlers (from 3 months to 4 years or a range in between)
- Preparatory School - UK private primary school
- Public School - a government funded school in most countries, a private school in the UK (go figure ...)
- Reception - the first years of a UK primary school (FS1 & FS2)
- Sixth Form College - a UK school for 16 & 17 year old students, usually doing A-levels. None in Dubai.
- There is some overlap between where a junior school ends and a senior school starts.
- FS1 means Foundation Stage 1, KG1 (or K1) means Kindergarten year 1, KS1 means Key Stage 1.
- US schools often refer to first grade, second grade etc instead of grade one, grade two etc.
Expat students at UAE government schools
Expat students were able to attend government schools in the UAE, then they weren't and had to attend private schools. Then in June 2006, the UAE government said that expat students could go to government schools again. The Gulf News reported on 26 January 2007 that UAE Public Schools would allow expatriate students to enrol from the beginning of the new academic year (September 2007). Students may need to complete an entry exam for Arabic, English, and Mathematics. Fees of 3000-6000 dhs per year are payable.
Note that almost all UAE government schools educate students in Arabic and offer local UAE qualifications which do not have much value if applying for English-speaking Universities outside the UAE (and not so much for some universities in the UAE either). Only students of Arab nationalities are expected to apply for places at government schools. Latifa School for Girls and Rashid School for Boys (both in Dubai) are two excellent government funded schools where, although the majority of students are Emirati, they are educated in English and follow a British curriculum. It is difficult to get a place there (or a job as a teacher).
Attention Deficit Disorder and ADHD, Autism, Down's Syndrome, Dyslexic, and other Special Needs and disabled children
For non-Arab expats, there are limited facilities for special needs children. There are a number of government funded establishments but they are usually restricted to Emirati nationals, or possibly Arab / Arab speaking nationals. Most mainstream private schools will not accept special needs students except possibly for mild cases of dyslexia. A handful of schools might consider mild cases of ADD, ADHD, and autism. This situation is improving though, some of the newer schools are making an effort to establish special needs units or provide teachers and assistants with appropriate training. There is also an increasing number of parent support groups. The list of special needs facilities includes these schools and groups if that information is available.
- Special needs Abu Dhabi - schools, support groups, and clinics offering special needs services in Abu Dhabi
- Special needs Dubai - a similar list for Dubai
- Special needs UAE - UAE special needs facilities including Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Al Ain. There appear to be no facilities in Umm Al Qawain, Ajman for non-UAE nationals.
- Special needs UAE forum - add information about special needs facilities not included in the lists above.
School fees in Dubai
- School fees range from a minimum of around 5,000 dhs per year at a
crowded and poorly resourced school to 50,000 dhs per year or more at
one of the more reputable schools, for example Dubai College or the Dubai American
School. Some of the expensive schools have the added reputation
of being snobby so it's not all bad if you miss out on a place there.
- School fees quoted are often for tuition only. The bus fares, uniforms,
books, field trips, musical instrument hire, etc can all add up to an
extra few hundred dhs or even a few thousand. Check carefully what the
fees include.
- School tuition fee payments for an academic year are not supposed to be paid before the end of the previous academic year, at least not in Dubai according to the KHDA. In 2009, some schools were reported to be trying to obtain payment before the summer holidays for the 2009-2010 academic year.
- Public, or Government School fees weere set at 6000 dhs per year
for all grades from September 2007 (previously they were 3000-6000 depending
on the grade). Unless we've misunderstood the news from 05 July 2007,
and the fees really are just
for student uniforms.
Registration, admission, and application fees in Dubai
- Many, or most, schools ask for an application fee when parents apply to enrol their children (might also be referred to as a registration or admission fee).
- In most cases this is non-refundable if a place is offered but not taken by the student, but should be deducted from the first payment of tuition fees if an offer is accepted.
- It is common for parents to apply to several schools in an attempt to secure a place for their offspring, but this of course starts to get expensive, especially with some schools charging several thousand dirhams as an application fee.
- A UAE federal law limited the application fee to AED 500 until 2008, then a change in the law did not specify a minimum amount so schools charge what they like (they did anyway).
- The KHDA in Dubai announced in 2009 that schools in Dubai were not allowed to charge more than AED 500 for application fees, but schools did anyway, and continue to. In 2010, the KHDA isn't saying anything (so far - January 2010).
Student information for schools in Dubai
- Students are expected to wear uniforms in most schools (one or two of
the American curriculum schools, French, German and other European schools
may not have this requirement).
- The school day usually starts between 0700 and 0800, and finishes between
1400 and 1500 with a standard lunch break. KG and primary students will
normally have a shorter day. Extra-curricular activities run later
in the afternoons. Non-western curriculum schools might have have two
shifts
with girls attending in the
mornings and
boys
attending in the afternoons.
- Strictly speaking, the UAE Ministry of Education requirements are that
students should be segregated according to gender. At least at secondary
level, and teachers should be the same gender as the class. Most schools
following
a western
curriculum
however, have mixed classes from K-12. Every now and then there is some
discussion regarding stricter implementation of the segregation rule
but then the summer comes and when students return, things seem to carry
on as they were.
- UAE Ministry of Education requirements are also that Muslim and/or Arabic
students must study Arabic and Islamic Studies throughout high school.
Each school implements that in different ways - some expect all their
students to attend Arabic and Islamic Studies classes for example, others
exempt non-Muslims and non-Arabs. Check with the school what the policy
is.
Extra-curricular activities in Dubai schools
- Parents and students may find after-school options more limited than
they are used to. Sometimes because schools themselves focus more on
the academic curriculum. Sometimes because it's difficult to find teachers
who will volunteer for extra-curricular duties. The hot climate also
means that outdoor activities have to be shelved for several
months a year.
- The schools with a good range of activities on offer tend to be the
well-established non-profit organisations with an active Parent-Teacher
Association and Board of Governors interested in the education of students
as a priority. Most of the private schools in Dubai and the UAE are profit-making
establishments, and the clash between business interests and education
seems to be most evident where extra-curricular activities are involved.
Admission Requirements for Schools in Dubai
Usually a selection of the following documents will be needed to succesfully
register a child at one of the Dubai schools or colleges. Check with
the individual schools in Dubai for exact details - requirements
differ between schools, age groups and nationality.
- Passport copies with a valid residence visa or Khulasat Al Kaid for
Emiratis.
- Birth Certificate copies (check with school if English and/or Arabic
translation is required). If they're not in English and you're applying
for the first time to a school in the UAE, take them to the UAE embassy
in your country to have them attested before you leave.
- Passport photographs (less than a hundred should be enough).
- Health card or evidence of medical insurance.
- Vaccination card or immunisation record.
- Transfer Certificate from previous school. Check with school for
details - if coming from overseas, you will need to have a transfer
certificate certified by (if
it's not in Arabic, authenticated translations
will be required - English maybe not):
- the education authority in that country (check with the UAE Embassy
if this step needed)
- the UAE Embassy in that country
- the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the UAE
- the UAE Ministry of
Education in the UAE or possibly your country's embassy in the UAE
- Transcript/Progress Reports from previous school (same certification
process as for Transfer Certificates).
- Letter of recommendation or similar from previous school.
- Successful completion of any entrance tests/exams and personal interviews.
Description of English curriculums and qualifications
A-levels - Advanced levels (UK/British)
- Assessment by exams at age 17 or 18 (grade 12 or 13) after a two
year course of study in each subject.
- Students attain awards in individual A-level subjects and normally
do 3 at a time.
- AS-levels are a watered down version of A-levels and may be completed
in one year.
- Universities will specify minimum A-level grades required for entry
and in which subjects. Investigate carefully before making A-level
choices as it's not easy to change your mind later.
AP - Advanced Placement (US)
- Similar level to A-levels and IB although some would argue that APs
are easier.
- Prerequisites for entry to American universities.
CBSE - Central Board of Secondary Education (Indian)
- Governing body for a syllabus with exams at the end of class
X and XII in Indian curriculum schools.
GCSE - General Certificate of Secondary Education (UK / British)
- Assessment by exams done at age 15 or 16 (grade 10 or 11), each subject
is a two year course.
- Students attain awards in individual GCSE subjects but it is common
to do up to 10 subjects at a time.
- Schools will have their own required list of subjects which will
probably include English, Maths, Science.
FBISE - Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Islamabad (Pakistan)
- Administers Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) courses and qualifications in national and international Pakistani schools.
IB - International Baccalaureate (International in English, French,
Spanish)
- Qualification gained after two years of study at senior levels -
age 17-18 or grades 12-13. Courses can be done in English, French or
Spanish - depending on the school (currently, unlikely there are any
French or Spanish schools offering IB in the UAE).
- Well respected qualification around the world for entrance to universities
- some UK universities express a preference for it over A-levels.
- To complete the full IB Diploma, students must complete courses in
6 different subjects and something called Theory of Knowledge, do additional
activities involving community work and sports/hobbies, and do an original
project/essay.
- Six subjects will be assessed with final exams. The course overall
is quite challenging and some of the Higher Level exams can be especially
difficult.
- Students need to be careful of any particular university entrance
requirements when choosing subjects. Not all subjects are equal depending
on which university attended.
- Students can do less than six subjects at IB level (depending on
school rules), they will receive IB certificates for each subject they
successfully complete.
IGCSE - International General Certificate of Secondary Education (International)
- Similar to the British GCSE but intended for students of all nationalities
wishing to study in English and move on to an English speaking University
not necessarily in the UK.
- IGCSE itself is not a university entrance qualification (although
apparently some American universities do accept it) but usually leads
on to an IB or A-level course.
ICSE - Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (Indian)
- Administered by the CISCE (Council for the Indian School Certificate
Examinations) for Class X (Class 10) students.
- ISC - Indian School Certificate.
NC - National Curriculum for England (UK / British)
- Sometimes referred to as just the "National Curriculum".
The abbreviation NCE is not usually used.
- The National Curriculum is program of study that was introduced into
schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland after the Education
Reform Act 1988.
- The NC consists of 4 'Key Stages' with educational goals to be attained
during each stage, and assessments at the end of each stage.
Subjects studied at each stage in the UK are:
- Key Stage 1 (KS1) age 5-7: Art and Design, Design
& Technology, English or Literacy, Geography, History, Information
& Communication Technology (ICT), Mathematics or Numeracy,
Music, Personal Social & Health
Education (PSHE), Physical Education, Religious Education,
Science, Welsh.
- Key Stage 2 (KS2) age 7-11: same as for KS1.
- Key Stage 3 (KS3) age 11-14: Art and Design,
Careers Education, Citizenship, Design & Technology, English,
Geography, History, ICT, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages,
Music, PSHE, Physical Education, Religious Education, Science,
Sex Education, Welsh.
- Key Stage 4 (KS4) age 14-16: Careers Education,
Citizenship,
English,
ICT,
Mathematics, PSHE, Physical Education,
Religious Education,
Science,
Sex Education, Welsh, Work-Related Learning.
- UAE schools following the NC will not offer Religious Education,
or Sex Education. Welsh is unlikely to be offered - in the UK it
is only a requirement for schools in Wales. There may be other variations
with the UK NC guidelines.
- GCSE or IGCSE exams usually follow KS4.
- There is a Foundation Stage for 3-5 year olds (sometimes called
Key Stage 0 / KS0), and a Post 16 stage (sometimes called Key Stage
5 / KS5) for 16+ but they are not compulsory education levels in
the UK.
- The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) is the governing
body for the National Curriculum, and associated exams and tests.
SSC - Secondary School Certificate (Indian)
- Indian state run curriculums/exams. Some regard the courses and exams
as easier than ICSE or CBSE.
UAE Education System
- Government schools in the UAE are segregated for boys and girls, there are no mixed schools.
- Schools are divided into age groups - Cycle 1 (KG - Grade 5), Cycle 2 (Grade 6-9), Cycle 3 (Grades 10-12). Some schools will combine 2 or 3 cycles.
- UAE education reform - see the Abu Dhabi Private Public Schools Partnership.
Private Tuition
See the Dubai tutor page.
Sex and Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll
Teenagers around the world show an enthusiasm for learning about sex, drugs, and rock and roll that seems to far surpass their interest in Fundamental Calculus and the Battle of Waterloo. This section isn't intended to be alarmist but as a parent, keep in mind that the penalties for getting caught breaking the law in the UAE can be much harsher than in other countries. Teenagers have ended up in prison for drug related offences (standard miminum sentence is 4 years). Sex or alcohol related offences are less likely to see your offspring locked up for a long time but they could be deported, especially if crashing a car after drinking. Underage drinking (minimum age is 21 years) in public bars is common enough, and most teenagers seem to be more civilised about it than elsewhere - perhaps a combination of the international mix of nationalities and likelihood of harsher punishments keeps them subdued. That's not to say there aren't unpleasant incidents - there are, but far fewer than in many western countries. Here is a summary of our opinion of what the law says, and related issues (note it is only an opinion, not any sort of legal advice or moral point of view).
- Sex outside marriage is illegal in the UAE (at any age - adults are not exempt).
- Public displays of affection (PDA) are frowned upon, especially in Sharjah, and especially during Ramadan. A police warning would be more likely than an arrest (unless you're unlucky, abusive, drinking / drunk, naked, not in Dubai, or it's Ramadan - applies to adults too).
- If your daughter gets pregnant in Dubai (assuming she's not married), you'll probably have to export her since unmarried mothers usually end up in jail.
- The contraceptive pill is freely available at pharmacies without prescription. Condoms are available at pharmacies, supermarkets, petrol stations etc.
- A non-Muslim male getting involved with a Muslim female will be a much greater issue for families and the authorities than a Muslim male involved with a non-Muslim female. Emirati and Muslim females have disappeared from school and the public eye when parents have discovered their liasons. However, honor killings are very rare in the UAE.
- Minimum age limit for drinking alcohol is 21 years, and residents are supposed to have an alcohol licence (permission to drink).
- Minimum driving age is 18 years (driving without a UAE driving license could result in the car being impounded and at least a hefty fine).
- Maximum level of alcohol permitted while driving is zero (of any unit you like).
- Drugs in the UAE - conviction of drug use or possession usually carries a minimum 4 year jail sentence. Convictions can, and have, resulted from blood or urine samples containing evidence of drug use, even when drugs have been used outside the UAE. Some over-the-counter medicines in other countries (codeine for example) fall into the illegal drugs category in the UAE.
- Technically, secondary school boys and girls are supposed to be in segregated education but most western schools don't take any notice of that.
For the most part, the UAE, and especially Dubai, is generally reasonably tolerant of western excesses. Just stay away from drugs in Dubai, and keep your head down for the rest of it.
Last update Sunday 28-Feb-2010
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