Investment in UAE education sector on the rise

Since the formation of the UAE in 1971, the UAE Government has shown great interest in developing the education system in the country. And a rapid rise in population has necessitated a considerable investment in the sector.

Today, the UAE offers comprehensive education to all children from kindergarten to university, with citizens provided free education. An efficient private education sector caters to several thousands of students while several nationals go abroad for higher studies at government expense.

Though much has been achieved, the government continually makes efforts to further improve the sector. For instance, Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) is spearheading privatisation of the education sector in the emirate.

According to official figures, 95 per cent of all female students and 80 per cent of all male students who are enrolled in the final year of secondary school apply for admission to a higher education institution in the UAE or study abroad.

Nationals can attend government tertiary-level institutions free of charge, and a wide variety of private institutions, many with international accreditation, supplement the public sector.

The Al Ain-based United Arab Emirates University continues to be the country’s flagship national institution of higher education, whil newer institutions such as Zayed University, which has campuses in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, were established in 1998 by the Federal Government to educate national women and prepare them to actively participate in society.

The Higher Colleges of Technology, on the other hand, offer a more technically oriented education in 12 well-equipped colleges spread across the country.

Notable private institutions include the American Universities of Sharjah and Dubai, Sharjah University and the Ajman University of Science and Technology.

The UAE also has several vocational and technical educational centres for those seeking practical training in their chosen careers.

Indeed, now that the educational infrastructure is in place, the focus is on ensuring that the youth of the country are ready to meet the challenges of the 21st century workplace.

In addition, to ensure that there are enough jobs for these emerging graduates, emiratisation of the workforce is being encouraged by the government, especially in the private sector, where UAE nationals account for a very small percentage of the total workforce. Some progress has already been made in banking, insurance and human resources.