In the UAE, education is compulsory for all Emiratis children aged five and above, including expat residents. Primary and secondary education in state institutions is provided free for every UAE national up to the age of 18.
The UAE education system is a four-tier system.
- Nursery Education – Nursery education in Dubai begins at a tender age with children of eighteen months to two years getting admitted to nursery schools. Basic English language speaking skills are developed in students of this age group.
- Kindergarten Education – Children of four to five years are admitted to Kindergarten where they get taught various subjects like English, Arabic, Mathematics, Music, and Art. At this level ‘Religion’ is also part of the syllabus and students are taught their respective religion.
- Primary Education – Students admitted to primary school are generally around six years. English is the main language of instruction in most primary schools. However, many other schools teach in Arabic and some in foreign languages such as Hindi, French as well Russian.
- Secondary Education – After completing primary school, students move to secondary or high schools. There are two kinds of high schools in Dubai, the ordinary schools that focus on academic subjects and the technical schools which focus on imparting specific skills in students.
