private school
According to the new unified contract regulations, students who have failed to pay their fees will not be prevented from attending classes, as this is a basic right
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
13 hours ago
- The National
Gulf students look to Canada and Australia as backup as Trump wages war on liberal universities
Young people in the Gulf are increasingly looking to alternatives to American universities. US President Donald Trump's clampdown on foreign student visas is barely a week old, but it places the spotlight on a broader trend for Arab school-leavers to have alternatives at hand. Countries such as Canada and Australia are seen as alternatives by those concerned that tighter restrictions under Mr Trump, who took office for the second time in January, may scupper their dream of an American education. As The National reported earlier this year, Gulf students are increasingly shifting away from US universities, though this is not necessarily linked to the Trump administration. The number of Emiratis studying in the US nearly halved between 2015 and 2023, from 2,900 to 1,500, while the number of Saudi students in the US fell from 61,287 to 15,989 in the same period. Madhav Juneja, director and country manager for the UAE and Mena region for Crimson Education, a consultancy that assists students in securing university spots, said students were 'applying to more places, just so they've got ample choices depending on how things play out'. 'As well as their US applications, they're also now adding other places, just so they're more resilient and immune to any kind of political developments and economic uncertainty,' Mr Juneja said. Last week, the US State Department told its embassies and consulates not to arrange any more interviews with students applying for visas, although already-scheduled interviews are going ahead. The pause is to allow for additional vetting of applicants' social media accounts. The move came after reports indicated that more than 1,000 international students in the country had had their visas cancelled or their legal status otherwise changed, mostly because they had been involved in pro-Palestinian protests at American universities. Strained relations Last year, under Mr Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden, more than 3,000 students were arrested when police dismantled tent camps and other occupations. Recently, in a campus anti-Semitism row and amid government attempts to amend curriculums and end diversity initiatives, Mr Trump has attempted to stop Harvard University – the richest and probably most prestigious higher education institution in the US – from enrolling foreign students. Such contentions have not, however, dimmed students' enthusiasm for a US education, according to Mr Juneja, although he acknowledged that there was 'a bit of uncertainty in the air'. 'There are the arrests and I think a lot of this is naturally grabbing the headlines all around the world, so it's leading to questions, but I think most folks would still like to see how things plays out,' he said. 'There is obviously going to be a legal battle for a couple of months. I don't think people are giving up on the American dream or conclusively going to a different place, but I think they want to keep options open. 'We've had students in the process of high school now who have US offers and Canada offers. They might be more closely looking at the Canada offers, but I think students are still very much looking at the US.' Mr Juneja said that the country remained a strong 'brand' for higher education, with many students 'still very much Ivy League-obsessed', a reference to the elite group of older US institutions. 'That brand naturally means stronger alumni communities,' he said. 'A lot of the top companies across tech, consulting, finance, they hire from these top universities, so it is a pathway for a lot of students to their dream job. 'Students are not just going there to study calculus or statistics, they're going there for the opportunity. The US still presents the highest level of career-building opportunities. We're confident that once the dust settles there will still be a smooth pathway for students from here and all around the world to go to places like Harvard and the US.' On Wednesday, the situation was compounded when Mr Trump suspended the entry of foreign students seeking to study at Harvard University for an initial six months. Growing concerns There is 'increasing concern among international students about studying in the US', according to David Hawkins, the director and founder of The University Guys, a UK higher education consultancy. 'The combination of visa uncertainties, news about student arrests at demonstrations and political rhetoric has created a perception issue,' he said. He said that administrative or legal issues should, however, be distinguished from the actual experience of studying in the US. 'The issue is that the legal situation will, in time, resolve itself – but do students want to be in the US while it does and the 'mood music' is potentially hostile?' he said. Among students that The University Guys assists, Mr Hawkins said that Canada, the UK, the EU and Australia remain the primary alternatives. Just as some foreign students may be thinking twice about the US, so tourists are looking elsewhere, with the research organisation Oxford Economics forecasting last month that there would be an 8.7 per cent reduction in international visitor arrivals in the US this year. Foreign visitor spending is set to fall $8.5 billion, or 4.7 per cent, according to the organisation. Professor Alan Smithers, director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research at The University of Buckingham in the UK, said that deterring Middle Eastern students from going to the US for higher education 'may be Trump's aim' in pausing visa interviews. He said that he thought it unlikely that significant numbers of students would look at the UK instead, partly because the UK government had tightened visa availability for international students because, like other countries, it wanted to deal with the problem that 'international students are sometimes a route for migration'. 'It might be that the students who would like to go to Harvard and the other institutions, very bright people, will perhaps aim at the first-rate universities in Australia and New Zealand,' Prof Smithers said. Close to home The UAE and other GCC nations have significantly expanded their higher education sectors in recent decades and these institutions are attracting young people from inside and outside the region. Gary Fernandes, an associate regional director at Heriot-Watt University Dubai, said that 'many students' chose to remain in the Middle East for their higher education. 'Several factors contribute to this shift, including the region's growing reputation for academic excellence, improved access to globally accredited programmes, and the overall safety and stability the UAE offers,' he said. He said the safety of cities such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi offered 'peace of mind to families', while policies such as the Golden Visa for students and other exceptional individuals 'have made the UAE more attractive' for students from many parts of the world. A representative for the University of Sydney in Australia said that it was 'premature to predict what impact changes in the US might have on our enrolments'. 'We'll continue to monitor developments and consult with governments and the sector, working to bolster and protect our vital international research and education partnerships,' the representative added. 'We're deeply concerned about the disruption and disappointment facing students in the US. International students contribute immensely to the academic and cultural fabric of university life, which is why we welcome them to study here at the University of Sydney.' Similarly, with the US government having only recently paused student interviews, a representative for the University of Toronto in Canada said it was too early to say whether there had been any effect on application numbers. However, the institution said it had experienced a growth in interest from students in the US, many thought to be Canadian citizens. 'The University of Toronto saw a meaningful increase in applications over previous recent years for the 2025-26 academic year from potential US students,' the representative said. Some universities outside the region, including Western University in Ontario, Canada, are specifically targeting the Middle East when they recruit students. 'Recently, we've expanded our recruitment efforts in the Middle East, with a focus on the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman,' Marisa Modeski, the university's registrar, said. However, while Canadian universities are looking to the Middle East for international students, the country's government has cut the number of international study permits issued each year by 10 per cent, from 485,000 last year, to 437,000 this year and next year. Pressure on housing is one factor behind the reduction.
The National
2 days ago
- The National
The rise of AI should not diminish the role of education – it should expand it
Not long ago, I responded to a LinkedIn post discussing Bill Gates's bold prediction that teachers and doctors, as we know them, will be replaced by AI within the next decade. As an educator and someone deeply invested in the human learning experience, I felt an immediate need to respond. I acknowledged that AI might one day be capable of 'reading the room'. It may be capable of detecting confusion in a student's face or excitement in their voice. But perhaps a more critical question is even if AI can read the room, will it care? Empathy, encouragement and the spark of trust are not algorithmic outputs. These human qualities lie at the heart of effective teaching and meaningful learning. Teachers do more than transmit information; they nurture motivation, foster resilience and help students find purpose. And these roles matter more than ever, precisely because of the rise of AI. After my comment, someone replied, asking why we then need educated people at all. Why bother with learning if there are no jobs or roles for humans? A fair but dangerous question. Behind it lies a narrow and instrumental view of education that its only function is to prepare people for employment. But education has always been about more than jobs. It is about helping human beings understand the world critically, engage with others meaningfully and navigate the moral, social and emotional complexities of life. These are not tasks we can outsource. The arrival of generative AI has reignited old debates with new urgency. What is left for learners to do if machines can write essays, solve equations, produce art and even tutor students? The danger here is not that AI will make learning obsolete but that we will convince ourselves it has. Knowledge-building is the fundamental building block to critical thinking. You cannot just rely on AI. You need to remember and understand to evaluate and create. These capacities are built through domain-specific knowledge. You cannot think critically about history without knowing history. You cannot solve ethical dilemmas in medicine without understanding medical practice. Critical thinking does not float above knowledge because it is embedded within it. Simon Roberts, in his book The Power of Not Thinking: How Our Bodies Learn and Why We Should Trust Them, makes a compelling case for the intuitive, embodied and social dimensions of human judgment. He argues that much of our understanding and decision-making stems not from conscious, rational thought but from our bodies through intuition, experience and learnt practice. The most potent thinking we do often bypasses formal logic altogether. It happens in conversation, in community, and in the messy, uncertain terrain of real life. We can treat AI as a shortcut, a way to bypass the struggle of learning. Or we can treat it as a partner that frees us to explore the higher dimensions of our humanity This kind of thinking is rooted in what he terms 'embodied intelligence', and it cannot be replicated by even the most advanced AI. In fact, the more we rely on machines to think for us, the more urgent it becomes to cultivate the distinctly human capacities they lack. In a world of AI-generated content, what becomes more valuable is not just knowledge but discernment. The ability to evaluate, critique and ethically respond to information. This is why knowledge-building is not a luxury in the AI era but a necessity. Without it, we are left vulnerable to manipulation, misinformation and a loss of agency. Educators are more than knowledge providers. They are mentors, provocateurs and companions in curiosity. They help students wrestle with ambiguity, ask better questions and grow in confidence. AI might become a powerful tool, but it cannot replace the human relationships underpinning learning. The rise of AI should not diminish the role of education; it should expand it. If AI can take over routine tasks, we should seize the opportunity to redirect education towards what makes us most human: creativity, empathy, moral reasoning, collaboration and community-building. We now face a choice. We can treat AI as a shortcut, a way to bypass the struggle of learning. Or we can treat it as a partner that frees us to explore the higher dimensions of our humanity. That choice depends on whether we still believe in the value of human learning. The future belongs to those who can work alongside intelligent machines without surrendering their own intelligence. It belongs to those who can engage in knowledge creation and recognise the importance of building upon existing knowledge, not just consuming it. It belongs to communities that can use technology to strengthen, rather than replace, human connection. In this moment of rapid technological transformation, we need to reclaim the deeper purposes of education. We need to resist the temptation to delegate our thinking. Because in the end, what makes us human is not what we know, but how we learn, and how we use that learning to care for one another, and to build a world worth living in.
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Khaleej Times
Some UAE families scale back Eid Al Adha celebrations due to school final exams
Eid Al Adha celebrations in some students' homes in the UAE have been scaled back this year as their exams fall right after the four-day holiday to mark the Islamic festival. What was once a season filled with family visits, late-night gatherings, travel plans, and hotel bookings has, for many, been scaled down to brief visits and simple greetings. Final exams in public schools are scheduled to begin on Tuesday, June 10, immediately after Eid Al Adha, and will run through June 19 for students in Grades 3 to 12. The Eid break begins on Thursday, June 5 (Arafah Day), and ends on Sunday, June 8. Eid Al Adha falls on Friday, June 6, leaving little time between the celebrations and the start of final exams. The Ministry of Education has confirmed that end-of-year results will be released between June 30 and July 2. This tight timeline has left students and families torn between joy and stress, forcing them to reevaluate how they spend Eid. Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels. Meanwhile, schools have begun offering intensive virtual academic support sessions, aimed at helping students prepare for the third-semester exams. School administrators describe these sessions as a valuable opportunity to enhance performance and boost confidence. Parents have been encouraged to support their children in attending, as the sessions directly impact their final results. According to parents interviewed by Khaleej Times, the two events — Eid Al Adha and final exams — coincide, leaving students and their families torn between joy and stress, as time for the usual meetings and activities is limited. Simple joy, considerable stress For Um Maha, an Emirati mother whose daughter attends a government school, this year's Eid is unlike any other. 'This year, the preparations weren't the same. I only bought simple clothes for my daughter. My focus has been entirely on her studies,' she said. She explained that exams are particularly challenging and require her full attention. 'I'll spend the entire day studying with my daughter, starting after noon on the first day of Eid and continuing until 9pm. That's the only way I can make sure she fully understands the material.' As for celebrations, she's keeping things minimal. 'I plan to attend just one family gathering, late on the second day of Eid. The rest of the time will be spent studying, from the first day until the exams begin.' She wishes the exam schedule had been arranged differently. 'Eid has its own joy, its own significance. It's not right to mix the happiness of Eid with the stress and pressure of studying,' she added. For Eman Alblooshi, a mother of four whose children study in government schools, the story is similar. 'This Eid comes at a somewhat sensitive time,' she said. 'I'm trying to experience the joy of Eid in a simple and balanced way. Finding time to rest, celebrate, and support my children with their studies.' Although the family still plans to visit relatives, the celebration feels lighter. 'My mind is preoccupied with exams. We'll enjoy ourselves, but the time will be shorter, and our focus will be divided. We'll even cut down on outings to make time for studying.' She expects many families to follow a similar path, 'Activities will be fewer. Most people will likely limit Eid plans to family lunches or brief visits. There's just no room for travel or full-day outings when exams are around the corner.' Students are also doing their best to navigate the overlap. Sheikha Hamad, a 12th grade student at a government school, believes that Eid can still be joyful with proper preparation. 'Eid is like any other Eid. There's no shortage of activities or joy,' she said. 'The secret is in the preparations before Eid. I make sure to study everything I need to, so after Eid, I only need to review. That way, I can enjoy the holiday without any regrets.' Still, the exam pressure is unavoidable. 'There's a little tension because I know I have to review and be ready. If anything changes, it's the late nights. Most people stay up late during Eid and disrupt their sleep schedule, but I'm planning to manage my sleep so I can stay focused and get everything done.'
