Being a country that pays a lot of attention to education and innovation, the UAE is full of opportunities that enable teens to be successful in and out of the classroom. When your teen is involved in decision making about future education, whether it be in the university, vocational training or searching for additional after school activities, there is guidance available. 

Let’s discuss some of the best education facilities for teens in the UAE.

Public and Private Schools

Education in the UAE differs with many-curriculum and philosophy schools including public and private institutions. Knowledge of the available choices will assist you to make the right decision as to which educational program suits your teen.

Public Schools

Many of the public schools are for Emirati children and some have provision for the expatriate children too. These schools operate on a policy of focusing on the Arabic language, Islamic education and the history and culture of UAE besides adopting the core curriculum comprising sciences, mathematics and general subject areas. These are schools that are sponsored by the government hence, are relatively cheaper as compared to other schools.

Private Schools

Most international schools are private and cater specifically for the needs of the expatriate community which prefers them over the local schools where English is taught as one of the languages. Enrolment in private international schools is fairly easy and available in all the major systems such as British, American, IB and even the Indian system. These schools most of the time have modern facilities, a wide range of co-curricular activities and often have small classes thus offering quality education. Some of the prestigious private schools which are found in the UAE include the following;

Choosing the Right School

Some of the points you should consider include curriculum, location, size of class and the activities that are offered by the school to the juniors. In Dubai you can obtain the school ratings and the inspection reports from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority while in Abu Dhabi the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge offers the same.

Government Programs and Scholarships

Most education sponsors for Emirati students and in some instances expatriate students are offered by the government of UAE in relation to different programs and scholarships. These are intended to ensure and enhance overall performance and achievement as well as offer scholarships for the needy individuals.

Emirati Scholarships

Students of Emirates have been provided with opportunities to obtain scholarships for secondary educational institutions and higher educational institutions within and outside the country. These scholars are mostly offered based on the results obtained in class and the intention here is to nurture future leaders in different areas of discipline.

Subsidies and Financial Aid

The government of UAE gives grants and soft loans with the aim of assisting the Emirati students to afford school fees in a private school. Such subsidies may differ from emirate to emirate and the aim is to provide equal opportunities for education in quality schools for all the citizens.

Expatriate Support

Although majorities of government scholarships target Emirati students, there are also some scholarship programs for expatriate students, especially those who come from poor backgrounds. Potential providers of scholarships and other types of financial aid are individual schools or respective educational jurisdictions, therefore it may be recommended to contact local education departments for more details.

Vocational and Technical Education

For the students who may wish to take up the vocational or technical courses, the UAE has numerous specialised programs which equip the students with practical skills as well as market knowledge.

Technical High Schools

There is a set of technical high schools in the UAE that prepare students for particular professions in technical fields of engineering, information technologies, healthcare, hospitality, etc. These schools offer both theoretical knowledge with necessary skills for employment for the students thereby providing employment for the students or enrollment into other colleges or universities.

Vocational Training Centers

As far as the vocational training centres are concerned, there are many centres in the UAE that provide short duration courses and training as well as certification programmes in trades and other industries. These programs are offered with the goal to prepare students for certain types of occupations which include automotive technology, culinary arts or fashion designing.

Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT)

The HCT network offers tertiary education with a view to skills application and acquisition of technical competencies. HCT is currently providing education ranging from diploma level to undergraduate level in business, engineering, health sciences and media programs.

University Preparation and Career Guidance

During the teenage years coming to the end of secondary education, students prepare for university and their careers. Fortunately, the UAE provides a number of solutions that will guide students through this crucial transition.

College Fairs and Expos

Every year the UAE has college fairs and educational expo where students can meet with representatives from UAE and international colleges and universities, as well as get information of the programs and admission procedures.

Career Counselling

Career counselling services are available in many schools in the UAE and such services assist the students in identifying the fields of their interest, the areas of specialisation of their liking and the kind of programmes that would be beneficial for the students in order to achieve their career goals. Such services may consist of ability tests, individual consultation, and seminars on how to enrol in colleges and what a resume ought to look like.

University Admissions Support

There are many firms and agencies in the UAE that offer assistance for applying for university admission, writing essays and interviews and specially tutorial for the SAT or IELTS tests for those teenagers who want to study in a foreign country.

It is for this reason that the UAE is a country that is big on education and offers the teenagers numerous facilities for their growth. No matter if your teenager attends school and focuses on getting academic education, chooses a trade school or decides to spend more time on extracurricular activities, he/she will have plenty of chances to achieve the goals and gain a lot. Through use of these resources, you can guarantee that your teen will be ready for the opportunities and difficulties that lie in future anticipating success.