Education systems of the UAE are competent and diverse that offer educational facilities for students of different levels. The issue of education when it comes to preteens is quite liberating for the parent while at the same time it can be quite daunting especially when it comes to choosing the right school, assessing government programs and subsidies, and to obtain information on special education. 

Let’s take a look at some major educational resources that are relevant to preteens in UAE to enable you to make a right choice for your child.

Locating Public And Private Schools

For preteens, getting an education in the UAE has many options and the schools that can be chosen are either public or private. All types of schools have their own benefits and it is important to consider the child’s needs, your personal views on education and the situation in your family to choose the right type of school.

Public Schools

The majority of the schools belong to the public system, and they are fully funded by the UAE government. With this, only Emirati students are eligible to attend these schools with expatriate students allowed under certain circumstances. These schools use the curriculum set by the UAE Ministry of Education that integrates Arabic, Islamic and UAE culture along with normal courses. The public school is cheaper because most of the schools in America are on a free basis since they are funded by the government, but one may be hard pressed to get a school admission for his or her child within the e;earing season owing to the heavily saturated schools.

Private Schools

Expatriates prefer private schools and they are available in many types of educational programs such as the British system, American, IB, Indian and others. These schools include features such as up to date infrastructures, co-curriculum activities, and small group teachings making up a good school. Though, it is possible that the cost of tuition could be high and therefore consideration should be made with regard to cost if necessary and seeking for any available financial assistance.

Choosing the Right School

Some of the things you should consider while choosing a school for your preteen include curriculum, school location, class size, types of activities offered in school and the reputation of the school. From schools directly, through meetings like open days and talking to other parents or caretakers. Also, Dubai, UAE KHDA has a school inspection report which has a checklist that can help you determine the quality of the school in your suspected area, on the other hand, ADEK- Abu Dhabi also offers a school inspector report on the quality of its schools.

Government Programs and Subsidies

The UAE government has grants that it provides to schools in order to encourage enrolment of Emirati students and in some cases expatriate students as well. Knowledge about these resources can assist you to maximise the available opportunity for your child’s education.

Government Scholarships

Some of the opportunities that Emirati students could undertake include; the ability to apply for government scholarships that will enable them to continue with their education within the country or other countries. They sometimes include tuition fee, living cost and other expenses incurred during one’s study at the university. Scholarships are normally given through performance, especially academic performance, although there are scholarships for secondary and other levels of education.

Subsidies for Private Education

At times, the UAE government offers some degrees of aid to help families of Emirati origin to afford private schooling. These subsidies may also be differentiated at the emirate level and are generally directed toward creating conditions for Emirati students to receive quality education.

Educational Support for Expatriates

Although most of the governmental interventions are aimed at Emirati students, some of them are also available for expatriate students, especially those from the low income bracket. For instance, some schools are known to provide special concessional fees, scholarship and financial aid for expatriate students with set conditions. It is strongly recommended that one should consult the particular schools or educational bodies in order to get more information concerning the support services.

Resources for Special Education

Education for all students including those students who have special educational needs is fully supported in the UAE. There are a number of Web resources and support services to help preteens with SEN have the education they are entitled to.

Inclusive Education Policies

The UAE has been approaching the issues of students with special needs through providing educational support for their integration to mainstream schools. These policies mandate certain services to be delivered by schools including special instructors, IEPs, and other aids and services the child may need for their learning to be effective.

Special Education Centers

Besides, there are also normally functioning schools in the UAE, and there are also specialised centres which accept students with special needs in their territory. These centres provide academic and related services for children with learning disabilities or delays, Asperger’s syndrome, Down syndrome and other physical impairments.

Support Services and Resources

At present time many organisations and government sectors of the UAE offer help and aid to parents of children with learning disabilities. Part of them include; the assessment, early childhood intervention programs and therapy services. The Ministry of Education and local education authority should offer information and advisory services concerning these facilities.

Parent and Community Support

Apart from CBOs, there are also a number of parents’ support associations as well as organisations that assist families with children-DCs in the UAE. These groups can prove to be useful in assisting parents in the process of administering for their children the best schooling environment that is possible.

As was discussed before, the education system in the UAE is not easy to navigate, however, knowing what resources are available can help parents with pre teens. From public to private school, from government schemes and educational grants to special needs education, there is much in the UAE that can help your child get the start that they want in life. Always be informed and be keen in ensuring that your child gets the best education that will help her or him in achieving the greatest potential in his or her preteen years.